The Effects of Hamstring Stretching With and Without Neural Load on Flexibility, Maximum Isometric Strength and Tibial Nerve Pressure Pain Threshold

Summary

The study will be carried out at the Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy of the University of Alcala. The study has been approved by the Animal Research and Experimentation Ethics Committee of the University of Alcalá. Healthy subjects will be recruited and divided into two groups randomly to perform a hamstring stretching program for two months.

One group will perform a stretch with neural load and the other without neural load, although both groups will stretch for the same amount of time, repetitions and subjective sensation.

Participants will be measured before and after performing their assigned stretch. Then, a new post-stretch measurement will be taken after two months, period during which the subjects will perform the stretching program on their own. Finally, subjects will be asked to quit the stretching program to take a final evaluation measurement after one month of follow-up.

The objective will be to evaluate the effects of stretching with and without neural load on hamstring flexibility (main variable), maximum isometric strength and tibial nerve pressure pain threshold.

Conditions

• Healthy

Interventions

OTHER

Hamstring stretching program with neural load

Participants will perform a hamstring stretch with neural load on their dominant leg. They will stretch five days a week, carrying out two repetitions of one minute each, taking a thirty second break in between. The stretch will be performed in a standing position with their dominant leg on a surface at a mid-thigh height approximately, where their knee is not fully stretched and remains unlocked and their back is in a neutral position. Participants will be encouraged to keep a maximum stretching sensation without feeling any pain. To perform the stretch, different tension parameters will be added in the following order (the next parameter shall not be introduced until the previous one has been exhausted): ankle dorsiflexion, cervical and craniocervical flexion, and hip flexion.

OTHER

Hamstring stretching program without neural load

Participants will perform a hamstring stretch without neural load on their dominant leg. They will stretch five days a week, carrying out two repetitions of one minute each, taking a thirty second break in between. The stretch will be performed in a standing position with their dominant leg on a surface at a mid-thigh height approximately, where their knee is not fully stretched and remains unlocked and their back is in a neutral position. Participants will be encouraged to keep a maximum stretching sensation without feeling any pain. To perform the stretch, tension will be added by flexing their hip, keeping their ankle relaxed and their spine neutral.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Jaén

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Juan Mínguez · University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

50 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-04-22

Primary Completion

2022-07-28

Completion

2022-07-28

Countries

• Spain

Study Locations