Acute effects of local vibration stretching on ankle range of motion, vertical jump performance and dynamic balance after landing

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Local vibration (LV) used as part of the warm-up can stimulate a specific body part and muscle group, potentially increasing muscle flexibility and performance. However, the effect of its combination with static stretching (SS) has not been thoroughly examined. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the acute effectiveness of combining LV and SS (V+S) on the ROM of ankle dorsiflexion, squat jump, counter-movement jump (CMJ) and the dynamic postural stability index (DPSI). METHODS: Fifteen healthy men who were regularly involved in recreational sports participated in this study. Static Stretching, V+S, and non-stretching condition (control) were assigned randomly and the intervention period for each condition was five minutes. RESULTS: The dorsiflexion improved significantly in SS and V+S compared to the control. The CMJ height decreased significantly following SS compared to V+S and control. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that V+S improves ankle dorsiflexion ROM without compromising jump performance. Local vibration device could be an effective element in warming up but further research is warranted.