A study to investigate whether muscle energy technique combined with instructed breathing is more effective than muscle energy alone when stretching hamstrings.
Item
- Title
- A study to investigate whether muscle energy technique combined with instructed breathing is more effective than muscle energy alone when stretching hamstrings.
- Author(s)
- Aaras Patel
- Abstract
- Foreshortened hamstring muscles have been associated with various clinical disorders. The aim of this study was to conduct an experimental analysis to assess the efficacy of Muscle Energy Technique (METB) with breathing on the hamstring flexibility, (using the passive Straight Leg Raise Test method), when comparing it with Muscle Energy Technique without breathing (METNB). It was postulated by the author, that METB would be the most effective method at improving hamstring flexibility. One group of matched subjects, consisting of twenty healthy men and women (20-37 years) with SLR less than or equal to 70 degrees were semi-randomly assigned to either METB(n=20) or METNB(control group,n=20) stretching method. Each subject then performed 3 isometric MET stretches, using METB stretch on one leg, and METNB on the other leg in the SLR position. The baseline measurement was taken as the point where maximum resistance to passive hip flexion was first noted by the operator. This was before any MET was performed. The hip flexion angle represented maximal hamstring length/flexibility. Counter-balancing method was used to eliminate, and therefore, control for the influence of order effect, and also for the leg dominance factor. This variable was controlled for since previous research has stated that the dominant leg, when compared to the non-dominant leg(of the same person), has greater hamstring flexibility. All subjects were positioned supine with the pelvis stabilized (with posterior pelvic tilt), with the knee in full extension and the ankle dorsiflexed at 90 degrees. An inter-tester reliability was established by using a correlation design (p<0.005). The results using the Wilcoxon Test, indicated that both methods of stretching were statistically (p=,0.05) effective at increasing hamstring length. However, these data lend support to the concept that METB is significantly more effective at increasing hamstring muscle length/flexibility (p=0.020), with a mean stretch of 23.450 degrees, by comparison with METNB, which had a mean stretch of 21.600 degrees. In addition to these results, it was found that the dominant leg, for most subjects (70%), had a significantly (p=0.002) greater hamstring flexibility than the non-dominant leg. It was suggested in view of the limitations of this pilot study that further research would be needed to clarify the findings.
- presented at
- British School of Osteopathy
- Date Accepted
- 1999
- Date Submitted
- 11.8.2000 00:00:00
- Type
- undergraduate_project
- Language
- English
- Submitted by:
- 62
- Pub-Identifier
- 12261
- Inst-Identifier
- 780
- Keywords
- Hamstrings.,Muscle Energy Technique,Breathing
- Recommended
- 0
- Item sets
- Thesis
Aaras Patel, “A study to investigate whether muscle energy technique combined with instructed breathing is more effective than muscle energy alone when stretching hamstrings.”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 2, 2024, https://www.osteopathic-research.com/s/orw/item/1449