A novel approach to improve hamstring flexibility: A single-blinded randomised clinical trial.
Faris Alshammari, Eman Alzoghbieh, Mohammad Abu Kabar and 1 others
PMID 31061909WHAT IT FOUND
Quadriceps activation after passive stretching improved hamstring flexibility by 13.4 degrees versus 6.2 degrees with stretching alone in young adults.
Tibial nerve gliding did not clearly outperform stretching in this small trial.
Key findings
01Quadriceps activation after passive hamstring stretching improved knee extension by 13.4 ± 12.1°, compared with 6.2 ± 6.4° for passive stretching alone.
02Each group improved from baseline: passive stretching by 6.2 ± 6.4°, neurodynamic plus passive stretching by 9.3 ± 6.2°, and quadriceps activation plus passive stretching by 13.4 ± 12.1°.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 60 participants were included, and all were healthy university students aged 18 to 24 years with limited hamstring flexibility. The outcome was measured before and after the intervention, and the study did not include carry-over measurements, so it does not show whether the improvement lasts. The neurodynamic and quadriceps activation techniques were not given equal repetitions, and the authors state the neurodynamic technique may not have been sufficient to create a statistical difference. The trial was single blinded, with only the assessor blinded.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that quadriceps activation alone improves hamstring flexibility. The quadriceps activation was performed after passive stretching, and the trial compared the combined approach with passive stretching alone.