Abstract

Spasticity is one of the main causes of contracture, muscle weakness and subsequent functional incapacity. The passive static stretching can included as having the purpose of increasing musculoskeletal flexibility, however, it also can influence the muscle torque. The objective of verify the immediate effect of passive static stretching in the muscle strength of healthy and those who present spastic hemiparesis. It was assessed 20 subjects, 10 spastic hemiparetic (EG) and 10 healthy individuals (CG), including both sex and aged between 22 and 78 years old. The torque of extensors muscles of the knee was analyzed using isokinetic dynamometer. Results have shown that EG has less muscle torque compared to CG (p<0,01). In addition, EG presented decrease in significance of muscle torque after stretching (p<0,05), however, it has not shown significant alteration in muscle torque of CG after performing the program that was prescribed. Immediately after the passive stretch, significant torque decrease can be seen in hypertonic muscle, it is believed that this reduction may be associated with the physiological overlap between actin and myosin filaments and so preventing the muscle to develop a maximum contraction.

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