Introduction: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of stretching with ice and stretching with heat and their long term effect on the hamstring muscle flexibility among college students. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study where students who were determined to have tightness of the hamstring muscle were randomized to receive hot or cold packs thrice weekly for four weeks prior to stretching the muscle. The range of motion of knee extension with 90º hip flexion (active knee extension) was measured at baseline, week 1, week 2 and at the end of the treatment period. The post-treatment range of motion was compared with the baseline within and between the two study groups. Results : Both modalities resulted in an increase in the range of motion from the initial to the week 4 determination. The final range of motion assessment was similar for the cold and hot groups. The difference between the final and initial assessment was larger in the cold group compared with the heat group (13.5º vs 9.5º) but when the mean difference was compared between the two groups, an unpaired t-test showed that the difference was significant. Conclusion Cold therapy prior to stretching appears to be a more effective option than heat in addressing hamstring muscle extensibility problems.
Cryotherapy ; Physical Therapy Modalities ; Muscle Stretching Exercises

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Conservation of the normal atrial size and architecture by preventing the structural atrial remodeling that's due to atrial fibrillation (AF) seems to be of prime importance for the management of AF patients. We attempted to assess the relevance of performing strain echocardiography for quantitatively assessing the left atrial (LA) status in AF patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Tissue Doppler strain and 2-dimensional strain imaging were performed in 15 patients with chronic AF, in 15 patients with paroxysmal AF and in 15 healthy age-matched controls with using a GE vivid 7 dimension apparatus. The LA diameter, LA volume index and mitral inflow parameters were measured by standard echocardiography. Longitudinal peak strain and the strain rate were obtained from 2 different areas of the basal left atrial free wall and also the inter-atrial septum in the apical 4 chamber view with using the tissue Doppler strain. The mean peak systolic rate (Sm-SR), the peak early diastolic rate (Em-SR) and the peak late diastolic strain rate (Am-SR) were measured at the inter-atrial septum in the apical 4 chamber view with using the 2-dimensional strain imaging. RESULTS: The peak strain/rate, the Sm-SR and the Em-SR were significantly reduced in the AF group as compared with the normal controls, and they were especially reduced in the chronic AF group. There were no significant differences for the LA size and A wave velocity between the paroxysmal AF group and the normal group; however, the peak systolic strain/rate, the Em-SR and the Am-SR were significantly lower in the paroxysmal AF group than in the normal controls. CONCLUSION: The lower values of atrial Sm-SR, Em-SR and Am-SR revealed that active contraction and passive stretching of the LA wall may be impaired in some patients suffering with paroxysmal AF even before LA enlargement occurs, and this is possibly because of reduced atrial compliance. Our results indicated that strain echocardiography enabled quantitatively precise assessment of the LA contractile function and it can provide clinically useful information concerning the early reversible atrial functional changes in patients suffering with AF, and especially in the paroxysmal AF patients.
Atrial Fibrillation* ; Atrial Remodeling ; Compliance ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Muscle Stretching Exercises

PURPOSE: This study compared the effects of Static stretching and Mulligan's Two-leg rotation about the Hamstring flexibility, Hip range of motion, and pain.METHODS: The subjects were allocated randomly into two groups: Static stretching group (n=13) and Mulligan's two leg rotation group (n=14). The study was designed with stretching protocols for four minutes and thirty seconds per day five times a week for three weeks in total. Measurements, including the Sit and reach test, Active/Passive Straight leg raise, and Visual analogue scale, were conducted before and after the intervention. The data were analyzed using a paired t-test and independent t-test.RESULTS: The flexibility of the two leg rotation group was higher than the static stretching group after the intervention. The post-sit and reach test value of the two leg rotation group was significantly higher than the pre-sit and reach test value of the static stretching group. In addition, the variance of the sit and reach test of the two leg rotation group was significantly higher than that of the static stretching group.CONCLUSION: These results showed that two leg rotation techniques have a positive effect on the changes in the sit and reach test and active straight leg raise test. Two leg rotation techniques can be recommended as a self-stretching and easier way to stabilize the lumbopelvic rhythm, reduce the stiffness of the muscle and relieve pain. This is effective in preventing muscle damage, enabling muscle relaxation and reducing the risk of injury to the spine during daily lives and in sports activities.
Hip ; Humans ; Leg ; Muscle Relaxation ; Muscle Stretching Exercises ; Pliability ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Spine ; Sports ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of stretching on decreasing spasticity of ankle plantar flexor muscles by biomechanical assessments. METHOD: Twenty two ankle joints of nineteen patients with upper motor neuron lesion were included. The spasticity was assessed both clinically and biomechanically before and after stretching of ankle plantar flexor muscles by tilt table. For clinical assessment modified Ashworth scale (MAS) was used. For biomechanical assessment, ankle plantar flexor muscles were stretched isokinetically while EMG signals were recorded simultaneously and peak eccentric torque, stiffness index and stretch reflex threthold speed (SRTS) were measured. RESULTS: Two cases showed improvement in MAS after stretching but the others did not. SRTS of ankle plantar flexor was increased significantly while peak eccentric torque and stiffness index were unchanged. CONCLUSION: Passive stretching of ankle plantar flexor muscles decreased the stretch threshold, that is a neural component of spasticity but it did not decrease the mechanical component of spasticity.
Ankle Joint ; Ankle* ; Humans ; Motor Neurons ; Muscle Spasticity* ; Muscle Stretching Exercises* ; Muscles* ; Reflex, Stretch ; Torque

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the effects of stretching and combined therapy (stretching and massage) on postural balance in people aged 50 to 65 years. METHODS: Twenty-three subjects participated in this nonrandomized clinical trial study. Each participant randomly received plantar flexor muscle stretching (3 cycles of 45 seconds with a 30-second recovery period between cycles) alone and in combination with deep stroking massage (an interval of at least 30 minutes separated the two interventions). The data were recorded with a force platform immediately after each condition with eyes open and closed. The center of pressure displacement and velocity along the mediolateral and anteroposterior axes were calculated under each condition. The data were analyzed with multiple-pair t-tests. RESULTS: The center of pressure displacement and velocity along the mediolateral axis increased after both stretching and the combined intervention. There were significant differences in both values between participants in the stretching and combined interventions (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Plantar flexor muscle stretching (for 45 seconds) combined with deep stroking massage may have more detrimental effects on postural balance than stretching alone because each intervention can intensify the effects of the other.
Massage* ; Muscle Stretching Exercises* ; Non-Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Postural Balance* ; Stroke

This study aims to examine the effect of 8-week 11+ program on technical skills and balance abilities of high school soccer players. This study targeted 40 soccer players from G and K club in Gyeonggi-do and 20 players from G team and 20 players from K team were placed in the training group and the control group, respectively. For data analysis, variable values of the two groups before and after intervention were calculated as averages and standard deviations using the SPSS ver. 21.0 statistic program. For analyzing within-group differences, paired t-test was conducted and for analyzing between-group differences, independent sample t-test was conducted. The statistical significance level was set at 0.05. The major study findings are as follows. First, the 11+ program was more effective in improving Jug 200 and short pass ability than static stretching. Second, the 11+ program was more effective in the posteromedial and posterolateral areas of Y-balance test than static stretching. These results demonstrate that the 11+ program is relatively effective in improving technical skills and balance abilities of soccer players. Therefore, it is considered that it is important to introduce and distribute the 11+ program to leaders, who are responsible for enhancing skills of soccer players.
Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Muscle Stretching Exercises ; Postural Balance ; Proprioception ; Soccer* ; Statistics as Topic ; Warm-Up Exercise

PURPOSE: This randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the effectiveness of global postural reeducation to segmental stretching in subjects with neck and shoulder pain. METHODS: Sixteen subjects with neck and shoulder pain were randomized into two intervention groups, a global posture reeducation group (n=8) that performed muscle chain stretching, and a segmental stretching group (n=8) that performed conventional static muscle stretching. The intervention program consisted of two 40 minutes individual sessions per week for four weeks. Subjects were evaluated pre-intervention, two-week after intervention and at a four-week follow-up appointment for pain intensity, disability and health-related quality of life. Two-way repeated analysis of variance was used for between-time and between-group comparisons. The significance level was 0.05. RESULTS: Significant pain relief and decreasing discomfort of the neck and shoulder were observed after intervention in both groups, and there was an interaction between time lapse and groups (pain, F=10.31, neck disability, F=25.45, shoulder disability, F=12.82, p<0.05). Quality of life also improved after intervention in both groups. Moreover, the physical components score improved, and a significant interaction was observed between time and groups (F=4.85, p<0.05). However, no significant improvement in mental component score of quality of life and no significant interaction between time and groups were observed (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that a GPR intervention in subjects with neck and shoulder pain induces greater improvement of pain and disability and quality of life than segmental stretching.
Follow-Up Studies ; Muscle Stretching Exercises ; Neck Pain ; Neck* ; Posture ; Quality of Life ; Shoulder Pain* ; Shoulder*

Congenital dislocation of the knee is very rare deformity and presents with anterior displacement of the tibia in relation to the femur. Early gentle manipulation and serial splintage or plaster cast is recommended for treatment and successful in the majority except the case of quadriceps contracture or late correction. We experienced two cases of bilateral congenital dislocation of the knee who had been treated with early gentle manipularion, immobilization with serial corrective dual splint, passive stretching and night splint. Our results are good in both cases.
Casts, Surgical ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Contracture ; Dislocations ; Femur ; Immobilization ; Knee ; Muscle Stretching Exercises ; Splints ; Tibia

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of physical therapy interventions using strengthening and stretching exercise programs on pain and temporospatial gait parameters in patients with plantar fasciitis (PF).METHODS: Eighty-four patients with PF participated in the study and were randomly assigned to the strengthening or stretching exercise groups. All patients received 8 physical therapy interventions two times per week in the first 4 weeks and performed daily strengthening or stretching exercises three times per day. After 4 weeks, they continued the assigned exercise programs every day for 8 weeks. Pain visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at the worst and in the morning and temporospatial gait parameters were evaluated at the baseline, intermediate of the intervention, end of the intervention, and the first and second month follow-up.RESULTS: There were significant effects of the time on the worst pain, morning pain, cadence, stride time, stride length, total double support, and gait speed, but there was no effect on step width. In addition, the main effect of the group and the interaction effects of the time and the group were not found in any parameters. For intra-group comparisons, there were significant differences in worst pain, morning pain, cadence, and stride time among the assessment times in both groups. For inter-group comparisons, there were no significant differences in all parameters.CONCLUSION: Both strengthening and stretching exercise programs significantly reduced pain and improved gait in patients with PF.
Exercise ; Fasciitis, Plantar ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot Diseases ; Gait ; Humans ; Muscle Stretching Exercises ; Resistance Training

This review aimed to describe the state of the art in muscle-tendon unit (MTU) assessment by supersonic shear wave imaging (SSI) elastography in states of muscle contraction and stretching, during aging, and in response to injury and therapeutic interventions. A consensus exists that MTU elasticity increases during passive stretching or contraction, and decreases after static stretching, electrostimulation, massage, and dry needling. There is currently no agreement regarding changes in the MTU due to aging and injury. Currently, the application of SSI for the purpose of diagnosis, rehabilitation, and physical training remains limited by a number of issues, including the lack of normative value ranges, the lack of consensus regarding the appropriate terminology, and an inadequate understanding of the main technical limitations of this novel technology.
Aging ; Consensus ; Diagnosis ; Elastic Modulus ; Elasticity ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques* ; Massage ; Muscle Contraction ; Muscle Stretching Exercises ; Rehabilitation ; Ultrasonography