A novel approach to improve hamstring flexibility: A single-blinded randomised clinical trial

South African Journal of Physiotherapy

 
 
Field Value
 
Title A novel approach to improve hamstring flexibility: A single-blinded randomised clinical trial
 
Creator Alshammari, Faris Alzoghbieh, Eman Abu Kabar, Mohammad Hawamdeh, Mohannad
 
Subject physical therapy; health; neuro-rehabilitation; exercise physiology hamstring; flexibility; stretch; neurodynamic; quadriceps; activation
Description Background: The hamstrings play a major role in body posture. Shortening or tightness of the hamstrings affects postural alignment and results in possible musculoskeletal pain.Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop a novel approach to improve hamstring flexibility in young adults.Method: A single-blinded randomised clinical trial included 60 participants aged 18–24 with shortened hamstrings recruited from the Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan. The range of motion of knee extension was measured with the hip at 90° flexion using a simple goniometer to detect the level of hamstring flexibility. Participants received either a passive hamstring stretch (PS), followed by two sets of 10 tibial nerve neurodynamic technique (ND), or PS followed by three sets of 10 repetitions of active knee extension–quadriceps activation (QA), or PS only.Results: There was a significant improvement of hamstring flexibility in the QA group compared to the PS group (13.4 ± 12.1° vs. 6.2 ± 6.4°, p= 0.05). There was a significant improvement in hamstring flexibility post-intervention compared to pre-intervention in the PS group by 6.2 ± 6.4 (30.5 ± 10.8° vs. 36.6 ± 9.5°, p = 0.001), ND group by 9.3 ± 6.2 (26.7 ± 10.9° vs. 36.0 ± 9.5°, p = 0.001) and QA group by 13.4 ± 12.1 (20.3 ± 9.0° vs. 33.4 ± 8.9°, p = 0.001).Conclusion: Quadriceps muscle activation following passive stretching of the hamstrings appears to be superior to the PS and ND techniques in improving hamstring muscle flexibility.Clinical implications: Quadriceps activation following passive hamstring stretching can be used in physiotherapy settings to improve hamstring muscle flexibility.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor None
Date 2019-04-23
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Randomized clinical trial
Format text/html application/epub+zip application/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/sajp.v75i1.465
 
Source South African Journal of Physiotherapy; Vol 75, No 1 (2019); 5 pages 2410-8219 0379-6175
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/465/1547 https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/465/1546 https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/465/1548 https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/465/1545
 
Coverage — — healthy male and female who were between 18-24 years old and have a shortened hamstring muscle
Rights Copyright (c) 2019 Faris Alshammari, Eman Alzoghbieh, Mohammad Abu Kabar, Mohannad Hawamdeh https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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