Effects of Acute and Chronic Stretching on Pain Control

ABSTRACT While muscle stretching has been commonly used to alleviate pain, reports of its effectiveness are conflicting. The objective this review is investigate the acute and chronic effects on including delayed onset soreness. few studies implementing protocols have reported small large magnitude decreases in quadriceps anterior knee pain as well reductions headache pain. Chronic programs demonstrated more consistent from a wide variety joints muscles, which ascribed an increased sensory (pain) tolerance. Other mechanisms underlying reduction proposed be related gate control theory, diffuse noxious inhibitory control, myofascial meridians, reflex-induced increases parasympathetic nervous activity. By contrast, soreness Reports stretch-induced may attributed tolerance or alterations muscle's parallel elastic component extracellular matrix properties providing protection against tissue damage. Further research evaluating effect various different modalities needed clarify conflicts within literature.