Effect of the global active stretching (SGA®) for restoring the normal values of thermal asymmetry

Abstract

Increasingly, new Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors are taking part in various competitions at various levels throughout the year. Most of these competitors are at the blue belt level and have a higher incidence of shoulder and elbow injuries. Before this fact, it arises the need to develop injury prevention strategies that can be practical, efficient and easy to be inserted within the competitor’s training routine. Based on the parameter that thermal asymmetries in contralateral regions may indicate inflammatory processes and the practice of stretching for 10 minutes may have anti-inflammatory effect, we sought to analyze the practice of Global Active Stretching (SGAR) in the aid of the maintenance and restitution of normal values of thermal asymmetry for jiu-jitsu athletes’ upper limbs. We analyzed through thermography the following body regions: Shoulder, arm, elbow and forearm, considering anterior and posterior views of each one and comparing the corresponding contralateral region. We performed the capture of thermal imaging (thermographs) on three consecutive days, so that we could obtain them at three moments (previous, 24h later and 48h later). We carried out a SGAR self-posture for 15 minutes the next day after the jiu-jitsu competition. The results indicate that it is more advantageous to practice the SGAR rather than only rest for 48 hours after the competition. It is concluded that the practice of SGAR self-posture can restore normal values of thermal asymmetry in the posterior region of the forearm, which is an interesting factor to accelerate the recovery process.