Effects of Active Stretching on Cardiovascular Response and Arterial Stiffness in Older Adults With Low Flexibility

Effects of Active Stretching Exercises on Autonomic Cardiovascular Responses and Arterial Stiffness in Elderly Individuals With Low Flexibility Levels: A Randomized Controlled Trial

A study of the effects of active static stretching exercise in elderly people with poor lower extremity muscle flexibility on autonomic and cardiovascular responses and balance ability.

This study aims to investigate the effects of active static stretching exercises on autonomic nervous system responses, arterial stiffness, and balance ability in elderly individuals with poor flexibility in the lower extremity muscles.

Participants will engage in an 8-week exercise program consisting of active static stretching sessions, focusing on major muscle groups in the lower limbs. The intervention is designed to improve arterial elasticity and heart rate variability (HRV) while enhancing dynamic and static balance performance.

Outcomes will include measures of heart rate variability (HRV), arterial stiffness, and physical performance assessments such as the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), Single-Leg Stance test (SLST), and muscle strength tests. Body composition and flexibility (sit-and-reach test, back scratch test) will also be evaluated.

The study hypothesizes that active static stretching will promote improvements in autonomic regulation and cardiovascular health, as well as increase flexibility and balance control in community-dwelling older adults with reduced lower-limb flexibility.

Inclusion Criteria:

• - Elderly males and females
• Have a normal body mass index (between 18.5-24.5 kg/m2)
• Be able to follow instructions and willing to participate in the study
• Be able to communicate with the researcher and provide information by themselves (the researcher will read the questions to the volunteers and let the volunteers choose the answers by themselves)
• Be able to walk continuously for at least 10 meters with or without walking aids
• Have low flexibility with a forward lean distance not exceeding the 40th percentile from the sit and reach test according to the American College of Sports Medicine criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

• - Abnormalities such as pain or inflammation of the legs more than 5 points, assessed by (visual analog scale (VAS) > 5 points)
• Significantly different leg lengths (more than 1.4 centimeters) or abnormalities of joints, including abnormal sensations that affect movement and walking
• Uncontrolled chronic diseases or obstacles to study, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, skeletal and muscular diseases such as chronic back pain, acute osteoarthritis, sprained ankle
• Vision problems that cannot be corrected by wearing glasses
• Uncorrected hearing Inner ear disturbances that affect balance, such as otitis media