Biology of Sport

The effects of 1 and 3 minutes of static stretching applied to a single lower limb on gait cycle and balance control

Marco Alessandria 1
,
Nicola Bragazzi 2
,
Leonardo Alexandre Peyré-Tartarug 3, 4
,
Andrea De Giorgio 5

  1. Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Novedrate (CO), Italy

  2. Laboratory for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (LIAM), Department of Mathematics and Statistics, York
    University, Toronto, ON, Canada

  3. Human Locomotion Laboratory (LocoLab), Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine,
    University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

  4. LaBiodin Biodynamics Laboratory, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

  5. Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, Novedrate, Italy

Biol Sport. 2027;44:105–113

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2025.151655
Data publikacji online: 2026/09/16
Article file
8_04471_Article.pdf
Confronting perimenopausal women’s knowledge of coronary heart disease with their health behaviours. Controversial role of hormone replacement therapy in the protection of coronary heart disease
  1. Crompton RH, Sellers W, Davids K, McClymont J. Biomechanics and the origins of human bipedal walking: The last 50 years. J Biomech. 2023; 157:111701.
  2. Peyré-Tartaruga LA, Coertjens M. Locomotion as a Powerful Model to Study Integrative Physiology: Efficiency, Economy, and Power Relationship. Front Physiol. 2018; 9:1789.
  3. Christopher SM, McCullough J, Snodgrass SJ, Cook C. Do alterations in muscle strength, flexibility, range of motion, and alignment predict lower extremity injury in runners: a systematic review. Arch Physiother. 2019; 9:2.
  4. Kay AD, Blazevich AJ. Effect of acute static stretch on maximal muscle performance: a systematic review. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012; 44(1):154–64.
  5. Konrad A, Nakamura M, Bernsteiner D, Tilp M. The Accumulated Effects of Foam Rolling Combined with Stretching on Range of Motion and Physical Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Sports Sci Med. 2021; 20(3):535–45.
  6. Young WB. The use of static stretching in warm-up for training and competition. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2007; 2(2):212–6.
  7. Small K, Mc Naughton L, Matthews M. A systematic review into the efficacy of static stretching as part of a warm-up for the prevention of exercise-related injury. Res Sports Med. 2008; 16(3):213–31.
  8. Kurtdere İ, Kurt C, Nebioglu İÖ. Acute static stretching with different volumes improves hamstring flexibility but not reactive strength index and leg stiffness in well-trained judo athletes. J Hum Sport Exerc. 2021; 16(4):760–72.
  9. Judge LW, Avedesian JM, Bellar DM, Hoover DL, Craig BW, Langley J, et al. Pre- and Post-Activity Stretching Practices of Collegiate Soccer Coaches in the United State. Int J Exerc Sci. 2020; 13(6):260–72.
  10. Chaabene H, Behm DG, Negra Y, Granacher U. Acute Effects of Static Stretching on Muscle Strength and Power: An Attempt to Clarify Previous Caveats. Front Physiol. 2019; 10:1468.
  11. Nakamura M, Yoshida R, Sato S, Yahata K, Murakami Y, Kasahara K, et al. Comparison Between High- and Low-Intensity Static Stretching Training Program on Active and Passive Properties of Plantar Flexors. Front Physiol. 2021; 12:796497.
  12. Caldwell SL, Bilodeau RLS, Cox MJ, Peddle D, Cavanaugh T, Young JD, et al. Unilateral hamstrings static stretching can impair the affected and contralateral knee extension force but improve unilateral drop jump height. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2019; 119(9):1943–9.
  13. Kwon YA, Yoo KT, Lee HS. Effects of unilateral static stretching on flexibility and symmetry of lower leg, and temporal gait variables in gait asymmetry people. J Korean Soc Phys Med. 2020;15(3):89– 98
  14. Coratella G, Cè E, Doria C, Borrelli M, Longo S, Esposito F. Neuromuscular Correlates of the Contralateral Stretchinduced Strength Loss. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2021; 53(10):2066–75.
  15. Promsri A, Federolf P. Analysis of Postural Control Using Principal Component Analysis: The Relevance of Postural Accelerations and of Their Frequency Dependency for Selecting the Number of Movement Components. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2020; 8:480.
  16. Sadeghi H, Allard P, Prince F, Labelle H. Symmetry and limb dominance in able-bodied gait: a review. Gait Posture. 2000; 12(1):34–45.
  17. Alessandria M. Comparison between two different thicknesses in thin mechanical stimulations on the plantar arch: effects on the gait analysis and balance control. Sport Sci Health. 2024;20(4):1435–1443.
  18. Saito M, Matsumoto M. SIMD-oriented fast Mersenne Twister: a 128-bit pseudorandom number generator. In: Keller A, Heinrich S, Niederreiter H, eds. Monte Carlo and Quasi-Monte Carlo Methods 2006. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer; 2008:607–622.
  19. Hoffman M, Schrader J, Applegate T, Koceja D. Unilateral postural control of the functionally dominant and nondominant extremities of healthy subjects. J Athl Train. 1998; 33(4):319–22.
  20. Martínez-Jiménez EM, Losa-Iglesias ME, Díaz-Velázquez JI, Becerro-De-Bengoa-Vallejo R, Palomo-López P, Calvo-Lobo C, et al. Acute Effects of Intermittent Versus Continuous Bilateral Ankle Plantar Flexor Static Stretching on Postural Sway and Plantar Pressures: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Clin Med. 2019; 8(1):52.
  21. Matsuo S, Suzuki S, Iwata M, Banno Y, Asai Y, Tsuchida W, et al. Acute effects of different stretching durations on passive torque, mobility, and isometric muscle force. J Strength Cond Res. 2013; 27(12):3367–76.
  22. Nakamura M, Ikezoe T, Nishishita S, Tanaka H, Umehara J, Ichihashi N. Static stretching duration needed to decrease passive stiffness of hamstring muscle-tendon unit. J Phys Fit Sports Med. 2019; 8(3):113–6.
  23. Freitas SR, Vilarinho D, Rocha Vaz J, Bruno PM, Costa PB, Mil-homens P. Responses to static stretching are dependent on stretch intensity and duration. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2015; 35(6):478–84.
  24. Hug F, Lacourpaille L, Maïsetti O, Nordez A. Slack length of gastrocnemius medialis and Achilles tendon occurs at different ankle angles. J Biomech. 2013; 46(14):2534–8.
  25. . Pinto MD, Wilhelm EN, Tricoli V, Pinto RS, Blazevich AJ. Differential effects of 30- vs. 60-second static muscle stretching on vertical jump performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2014; 28(12):3440–6.
  26. Marchetti PH, Silva FH, Soares EG, Serpa EP, Nardi PS, Vilela Gde B, et al. Upper limb static-stretching protocol decreases maximal concentric jump performance. J Sports Sci Med. 2014; 13(4):945–50.
  27. Bhandarkar AC, Ravindra S, Visweswara RD. Spatiotemporal parameters of gait in terms of symmetry in asymptomatic individuals. Indian J Phys Ther Res. 2023;5(1):94–101.
  28. Ellis RG, Howard KC, Kram R. The metabolic and mechanical costs of step time asymmetry in walking. Proc Biol Sci. 2013; 280(1756):20122784
  29. Stenum J, Choi JT. Disentangling the energetic costs of step time asymmetry and step length asymmetry in human walking. J Exp Biol. 2021; 224(12):jeb242258.
  30. Balbinot G, Schuch CP, Bianchi Oliveira H, Peyré-Tartaruga LA. Mechanical and energetic determinants of impaired gait following stroke: segmental work and pendular energy transduction during treadmill walking. Biol Open. 2020; 9(7):bio051581.
  31. Kaczmarczyk K, Błażkiewicz M, Wit A, Wychowański M. Assessing the asymmetry of free gait in healthy young subjects. Acta Bioeng Biomech. 2017; 19(3):101–6.
  32. van der Krogt MM, Delp SL, Schwartz MH. How robust is human gait to muscle weakness? Gait Posture. 2012; 36(1):113–9.
  33. Gallagher S, Schall MC, Jr. Musculoskeletal disorders as a fatigue failure process: evidence, implications and research needs. Ergonomics. 2017; 60(2):255–69
  34. Banks JJ, Umberger BR, Boyer KA, Caldwell GE. Lower back kinetic demands during induced lower limb gait asymmetries. Gait Posture. 2022; 98:101–8.
  35. Zanardi APJ, da Silva ES, Costa RR, Passos-Monteiro E, dos Santos IO, Kruel LFM, et al. Gait parameters of Parkinson’s disease compared with healthy controls: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2021; 11(1):752.
  36. Feeney DF, Capobianco RA, Montgomery JR, Morreale J, Grabowski AM, Enoka RM. Individuals with sacroiliac joint dysfunction display asymmetrical gait and a depressed synergy between muscles providing sacroiliac joint force closure when walking. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2018; 43:95–103.
  37. Nakamura M, Ikezoe T, Takeno Y, Ichihashi N. Acute and prolonged effect of static stretching on the passive stiffness of the human gastrocnemius muscle tendon unit in vivo. J Orthop Res. 2011; 29(11):1759–63.
  38. Stecco C, Corradin M, Macchi V, Morra A, Porzionato A, Biz C, et al. Plantar fascia anatomy and its relationship with Achilles tendon and paratenon. J Anat. 2013; 223(6):665–76.
  39. Hébert-Losier K, Schneiders AG, Newsham-West RJ, Sullivan SJ. Scientific bases and clinical utilisation of the calf-raise test. Phys Ther Sport. 2009; 10(4):142–9.
  40. Fox KT, Pearson LT, Hicks KM. The effect of lower inter-limb asymmetries on athletic performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2023; 18(6):e0286942.
  41. Brown SR, Feldman ER, Cross MR, Helms ER, Marrier B, Samozino P, et al. The Potential for a Targeted Strength-Training Program to Decrease Asymmetry and Increase Performance: A Proof of Concept in Sprinting. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2017; 12(10):1392–5.
  42. Wayner RA, Robinson R, Simon JE. Gait asymmetry and running-related injury in female collegiate cross-country runners. Phys Ther Sport. 2023; 59:1–6.
  43. Cohen SP, Chen Y, Neufeld NJ. Sacroiliac joint pain: a comprehensive review of epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment. Expert Rev Neurother. 2013; 13(1):99–116.
  44. Barros G, McGrath L, Gelfenbeyn M. Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction in Patients With Low Back Pain. Fed Pract. 2019; 36(8):370–5.
Copyright: Institute of Sport. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons CC BY License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator. The license allows for commercial use.
SUBMIT YOUR PAPER
Share
without publication fees
Integrated with
Editorial Policies
Sarajevo Declaration on Integrity and Visibility of Scholarly Publications