Clinical Research Directory

Acute Changes in Gastrocnemius Muscle Stiffness

This study evaluated how different exercise and rest schedules during calf-raise exercise affected the stiffness of the calf muscle in trained volleyball athletes. It also examined how muscle stiffness changed during a five-minute recovery period in which percussive therapy was applied. Thirty volleyball athletes, including 15 women and 15 men, completed three exercise sessions in a randomized order. During each session, participants performed repeated calf raises for a total period of five minutes using one of three work-to-rest schedules: 30 seconds of exercise followed by 30 seconds of rest, 15 seconds of exercise followed by 45 seconds of rest, or 45 seconds of exercise followed by 15 seconds of rest. The stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius, one of the main calf muscles, was measured using shear-wave elastography. Measurements were taken before exercise, immediately after exercise, and after the five-minute percussive therapy recovery period.