The Effects of Soft Tissue Therapy and Exercise on Hamstring Tightness

NCT03651141 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: ED174
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 21
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of myofascial decompression (cupping) and neurodynamic sliding technique for the hamstring on Division I Track and Field athletes who complain of hamstring tightness. Research questions will be: how do these techniques affect hamstring range of motion and flexibility; isometric strength of the hamstring muscle; muscle activation; and rate of force development. The hypotheses of this study are that neurodynamic sliding will have an effect on all variables and myofascial decompression will only have an effect on range of motion.

Conditions

Hamstring Tightness; Myofascial Pain; Musculoskeletal Pain

Keywords

Hamstring tightness; myofascial decompression; cupping; neurodynamic sliding

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Hamstring Flexibility change

  Using the 'Active Knee Extension test', subjects are placed supine with both the hip and knee positioned at 90° of flexion and then asked to extend lower leg until point of limitation. A digital inclinometer is used to measure the angle of the knee joint in this position to examine flexibility of the hamstring muscle group.

  Baseline, 5 minutes after intervention, and within 24 hours of intervention

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Hamstring muscle strength change

  Baseline, 5 minutes after intervention, and within 24 hours of intervention

• Time of Force Development

  Baseline, 5 minutes after intervention, and within 24 hours of intervention

• Electromyographic (EMG) Muscle Activation of the Hamstring muscles

  Baseline, 5 minutes after intervention, and within 24 hours of intervention

• Disablement of the Physically Active patient outcome survey

  Baseline, 5 minutes after intervention, and within 24 hours of intervention

• Functional Patient Outcome survey

  Baseline, 5 minutes after intervention, and within 24 hours of intervention

Study Arms (3)

Neurodynamic Sliding

EXPERIMENTAL

neurodynamic sliding consists of 2 movements; 1) movement 1 involves sitting on the edge of the treatment table the bringing their neck to their chest along with bending their knee and pointing their ankle to the ground. Movement 2 is performed by facing their head towards the ceiling and straightening their knee while pointing their ankle towards their nose. Subjects will alternate these 2 active movements for 60s and repeated 5 times, with rest period of 15s between sets.

Other: Neurodynamic Sliding

Myofascial Decompression

EXPERIMENTAL

For the group receiving the cupping treatment, the subject will lay on their stomach and their affected hamstring will be exposed. Cocoa butter will be applied to the hamstring prior to the application of the cups. 5 cups will be placed along the hamstring and calf muscles. Using a handheld suction pump, each cup will be pumped so that skin fills up half of the cup. The cups will stay in place for five minutes and the clinician will instruct the subject to perform 5 repetitions of active quad sets and 5 repetitions of ankle pumps .

Other: Myofascial Decompression

Diathermy

SHAM COMPARATOR

The control group will receive a sham heat (diathermy treatment). The subjects will be asked to sit and relax for five minutes and the machine will not be turned on with a timer timing the treatment.

Other: Diathermy

Interventions

Neurodynamic Sliding OTHER

Subjects in the neurodynamic sliding group perform 2 movements; 1) movement 1 involves sitting on the edge of the treatment table the bringing their neck to their chest along with bending their knee and pointing their ankle to the ground. Movement 2 is performed by facing their head towards the ceiling and straightening their knee while pointing their ankle towards their nose. Subjects will alternate these 2 active movements for 60s and repeated 5 times, with rest period of 15s between sets. A metronome will be set at 30 beats per minute for 15 full slides per minute to standardize the amount of slides per session.

Neurodynamic Sliding

Myofascial Decompression OTHER

For the group receiving the cupping treatment, the subject will lay on their stomach and their affected hamstring will be exposed. Cocoa butter will be applied to the hamstring prior to the application of the cups. 5 cups will be placed along the hamstring and calf muscles. Using a handheld suction pump, each cup will be pumped so that skin fills up half of the cup. The cups will stay in place for five minutes and the clinician will instruct the subject to perform 5 repetitions of active quad sets and 5 repetitions of ankle pumps .

Myofascial Decompression

Diathermy OTHER

The control group will receive a sham heat (diathermy treatment). The subjects will be asked to sit and relax for five minutes and the machine will not be turned on with a timer timing the treatment.

Diathermy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Must be in the Sprints, Jumps, or Multi (heptathlon, pentathlon, or decathlon) groups
• complain of hamstring tightness and/or injury in the last calendar year
• have less than 80⁰ for Active Knee Extension test.

You may not qualify if:

• Past history or current neurological disorders or orthopedic diseases
• Surgery of the lower extremity that involves an autograft on the tested leg
• Past history of hamstring surgery
• Receiving current treatment for a hamstring injury
• Received any form of myofascial therapy or neurodynamic techniques within the last week unhealed wounds
• active TB
• leukemia
• hemophilia
• thrombocytopenia
• fever
• influenza
• moderate/severe anemia
• high blood pressure
• cardiac conditions
• late stages of pregnancy

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Oklahoma State University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Applied Neuromuscular Physiology Lab

Stillwater, Oklahoma, 74078, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Musculoskeletal Pain

Interventions

Diathermy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Muscular Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Hyperthermia, Induced; Therapeutics

Study Officials

• Aric Warren, EdD

  Oklahoma State University

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator, Graduate Student

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 29, 2018
• First Posted: August 29, 2018
• Study Start: March 27, 2017
• Primary Completion: April 10, 2017
• Study Completion: June 12, 2017
• Last Updated: August 31, 2018

Record last verified: 2018-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)