{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T20:11:57Z","timestamp":1777579917594,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,25]],"date-time":"2025-06-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1750809600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"JSPS KAKENHI","award":["JP23K10818"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["JP23K10818"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Tomography"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: The relationship between upper trapezius muscle stiffness and choroidal circulatory dynamics remains unclear. This study aimed to examine changes in upper trapezius muscle stiffness and choroidal circulatory dynamics before and after trapezius muscle self-stretching. Methods: Eighteen healthy adults in their 20s (median age \u00b1 standard error: 21.0 \u00b1 4.9 years) and eight healthy adults in their 40s (age: 43.0 \u00b1 15.2 years) were included. Intraocular pressure (IOP); systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure (BP); heart rate (HR); ocular perfusion pressure (OPP); and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) activity\u2014as an indicator of autonomic nervous system function\u2014were measured at baseline and after trapezius muscle self-stretching. Upper trapezius muscle stiffness was assessed using ultrasound strain elastography, whereas choroidal circulation was evaluated using laser speckle flowgraphy to determine the mean blur rate (MBR), a relative measure of macular blood flow velocity. Results: Significant reductions in systolic and mean BP; OPP; sAA activity; and MBR were observed after trapezius muscle self-stretching in both groups; however, no significant changes were found in IOP and HR. A significant decrease in upper trapezius muscle stiffness was observed after self-stretching only in the 20-year-old group. Conclusions: In healthy adults in their 20s and 40s, trapezius muscle self-stretching may enhance parasympathetic nervous system activity, resulting in decreased systemic and choroidal circulatory parameters. However, the reduction in muscle stiffness observed only in younger participants suggests that short-term self-stretching may be less effective in reducing trapezius muscle stiffness with advancing age.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/tomography11070073","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,27]],"date-time":"2025-06-27T05:29:58Z","timestamp":1751002198000},"page":"73","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Effects of Trapezius Muscle Self-Stretching on Muscle Stiffness and Choroidal Circulatory Dynamics: An Evaluation Using Ultrasound Strain Elastography and Laser Speckle Flowgraphy"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Miki","family":"Yoshimura","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthoptics and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Health and Welfare Sciences, International University of Health and Welfare, Momochihama 2-4-16, Sawara-ku, Fukuoka 814-0001, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Takanori","family":"Taniguchi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka International University of Health and Welfare, Momochihama 3-6-40, Sawara-ku, Fukuoka 814-0001, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Takeshi","family":"Yoshitomi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthoptics and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Health and Welfare Sciences, International University of Health and Welfare, Momochihama 2-4-16, Sawara-ku, Fukuoka 814-0001, Japan"},{"name":"Department of Orthoptics, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka International University of Health and Welfare, Momochihama 3-6-40, Sawara-ku, Fukuoka 814-0001, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yuki","family":"Hashimoto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthoptics and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Health and Welfare Sciences, International University of Health and Welfare, Momochihama 2-4-16, Sawara-ku, Fukuoka 814-0001, Japan"},{"name":"Department of Orthoptics, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka International University of Health and Welfare, Momochihama 3-6-40, Sawara-ku, Fukuoka 814-0001, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S46","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmpt.2008.11.010","article-title":"The burden and determinants of neck pain in the general population: Results of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000\u20132010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders","volume":"32","author":"Carroll","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. 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