• Eva María Martínez-Jiménez, Marta Elena Losa-Iglesias, Sara González-Martín, Daniel López-López, Andrea Roca-Dols, David Rodriguez-Sanz, Ricardo Becerro-de-Bengoa-Vallejo, and César Calvo-Lobo.
• PD, PT, MSc, PhD. Assistant Professor, Facultad de Enfermería, Fisioterapia y Podología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
• Sao Paulo Med J. 2022 May 1; 140 (3): 341348341-348.

BackgroundThere are no studies on long-term bilateral calf stretching in relation to balance and plantar pressure.ObjectivesTo demonstrate that there is better control of posture and pressures after continuous stretching of the posterior calf muscles.Design And SettingPre and post-intervention study conducted in a private clinic.MethodsWe measured static footprints and stabilometry before and after continuous passive plantar flexor stretching of duration 120 seconds, among 24 healthy subjects.ResultsWe found differences in Y displacement with eyes closed (P = 0.010), but not among other variables with eyes closed: X displacement (P = 0.263); surface (P = 0.940); laterolateral speed displacement (P = 0.279); and anteroposterior speed displacement (P = 0.914). There were also no differences in eyes-open variables: X displacement (P = 0.341); Y displacement (P = 0.491); surface (P = 0.167); laterolateral speed displacement (P = 0.852); and anteroposterior speed displacement (P = 0.079). The plantar pressures in the heel (maximum pressure, P = 0.048; mean pressure, P = 0.001) and in the midfoot (maximum pressure, P = 0.004; mean pressure, P = 0.004) were reduced, but not in the forefoot (maximum pressure, P = 0.391; mean pressure, P = 0.225). The surface became larger in the forefoot (P = 0.000) and midfoot (P = 0.021).ConclusionsContinuous static stretching of plantar flexors for 120 seconds improved stance balance and reduced plantar pressures (maximum and mean) in the rearfoot and midfoot. It also increased the surface in the midfoot and forefoot.Trial Registrationat clinicaltrials.gov, under the number NTC03743168.

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