Acute Effects of Static Stretching on Submaximal Force Control of the Ankle

Static stretching (SS) is widely used in clinical and sports settings. However, the acute effects on neuromuscular control during dynamic tasks remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the immediate effects of SS on force control using a randomized crossover design. Seventeen healthy young males performed low-range (10–30% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction: MVIC) and high-range (40–60% MVIC) isometric force tracking tasks. In the SS condition, the ankle plantar flexors were stretched for 60 s; in the control condition, the participants remained at rest. The primary outcomes included ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM), musculotendinous stiffness, and the root mean square error (RMSE) of force tracking. Compared to the control group, SS significantly increased dorsiflexion ROM and reduced musculotendinous stiffness. A significant reduction in the RMSE was observed during the force release phase when participants smoothly decreased force output in the high-range task following SS (p = 0.030, d = 0.79), but no significant changes were found during the force generation phase in the high-range task or during either phase (generation or release) in the low-range task. These findings suggest that a brief SS intervention may acutely refine the dynamic force control under high neuromuscular demands. Therefore, SS may enhance motor control in tasks that involve submaximal force modulation.