TY - GEN
T1 - The effects of stretching, hot pack and massage treatments on muscle thickness and hardness
AU - Muraki, Satoshi
AU - Ohnuma, Makoto
AU - Fukumoto, Kiyotaka
AU - Fukuda, Osamu
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - The purpose of this study is to clarify the changes in muscle hardness by three treatments (stretching, hot pack and massage) that are commonly used to relieve muscle fatigue. Ten young male adults received the treatments in their anterior thigh. The thickness and hardness of the subcutaneous fat and the muscles in the anterior thigh were measured using an elasticity-measuring instrument with an ultrasound signal. In the stretching and hot pack conditions, an index of muscle hardness significantly decreased without change in muscle thickness, which indicates softening of the muscles. In contrast, the massage condition failed to show significant changes in the muscle hardness. These findings suggested that the stretching and warming of the muscles soften them, which might reflect relief of muscle fatigue.
AB - The purpose of this study is to clarify the changes in muscle hardness by three treatments (stretching, hot pack and massage) that are commonly used to relieve muscle fatigue. Ten young male adults received the treatments in their anterior thigh. The thickness and hardness of the subcutaneous fat and the muscles in the anterior thigh were measured using an elasticity-measuring instrument with an ultrasound signal. In the stretching and hot pack conditions, an index of muscle hardness significantly decreased without change in muscle thickness, which indicates softening of the muscles. In contrast, the massage condition failed to show significant changes in the muscle hardness. These findings suggested that the stretching and warming of the muscles soften them, which might reflect relief of muscle fatigue.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84859834837&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84859834837&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1201/b11932-52
DO - 10.1201/b11932-52
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84859834837
SN - 9780415684149
T3 - Ergonomics in Asia: Development, Opportunities, and Challenges - Selected Papers of the 2nd East Asian Ergonomics Federation Symposium, EAEFS 2011
SP - 301
EP - 306
BT - Ergonomics in Asia
PB - CRC Press
T2 - 2nd East Asian Ergonomics Federation Symposium, EAEFS 2011
Y2 - 4 October 2011 through 8 October 2011
ER -