Neural Mobilization After Upper Extremity Fatigue in Amateur Athletes

NCT07682103 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2025/16-42
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 45
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the acute effects of neural mobilization and dynamic stretching after upper extremity fatigue on upper extremity performance and hand-eye coordination in amateur athletes. Participants were amateur athletes aged 18 to 25 years who regularly participated in sports involving active use of the upper extremity. After baseline assessment, all participants completed a standardized upper extremity fatigue protocol. They were then randomly allocated to one of three groups: neural mobilization, dynamic stretching, or passive rest. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately after fatigue, and after the assigned recovery intervention or rest period. The study aimed to determine whether active recovery strategies, particularly neural mobilization, provide greater short-term recovery of upper extremity performance and hand-eye coordination compared with passive rest.

Conditions

Exercise-Induced Upper Extremity Fatigue; Hand-Eye Coordination; Athletic Performance

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Alternate Hand Wall Toss Test

  Hand-eye coordination was assessed using the Alternate Hand Wall Toss Test. Participants stood 2 meters from a wall and repeatedly threw a ball against the wall, catching it with the opposite hand. The number of successful catches completed within 30 seconds was recorded. Higher scores indicate better hand-eye coordination performance.

  Baseline, immediately after the fatigue protocol, and after the 15-minute recovery period

• Upper Quarter Y Balance Test

  Upper quarter dynamic balance was assessed using the Upper Quarter Y Balance Test. Participants maintained a push-up position and reached with the free hand in the medial, superolateral, and inferolateral directions. Reach distances were recorded and used to calculate a composite score normalized to upper limb length. Higher scores indicate better upper quarter dynamic balance performance.

  Baseline, immediately after the fatigue protocol, and after the 15-minute recovery period

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test

  Baseline, immediately after the fatigue protocol, and after the 15-minute recovery period

Study Arms (3)

Neural Mobilization

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants assigned to this arm received upper extremity neural mobilization after completion of the standardized upper extremity fatigue protocol. Neural mobilization techniques targeted the median, radial, and ulnar nerves and were applied during the recovery period before post-intervention outcome assessment.

Other: Neural Mobilization

Dynamic Stretching

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants assigned to this arm performed a structured dynamic stretching protocol after completion of the standardized upper extremity fatigue protocol. The protocol included dynamic upper and lower body movements performed during the recovery period before post-intervention outcome assessment.

Other: Dynamic Stretching

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants assigned to this control arm rested passively after completion of the standardized upper extremity fatigue protocol. No active recovery intervention was administered during the recovery period before post-intervention outcome assessment.

Interventions

Neural Mobilization OTHER

Upper extremity neural mobilization was applied after the standardized fatigue protocol. The intervention targeted the median, radial, and ulnar nerves using non-painful mobilization techniques. Each technique was performed for 2 sets of 20 repetitions, with each repetition lasting approximately 1 to 3 seconds

Neural Mobilization

Dynamic Stretching OTHER

A structured dynamic stretching protocol was performed after the standardized fatigue protocol. The protocol lasted approximately 10 minutes and included dynamic upper extremity and whole-body movements such as arm swings, arm crossovers, walking lunges with trunk rotation, lateral shuffling, heel kicks, inchworms, and modified shuttle movements.

Dynamic Stretching

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Aged between 18 and 25 years
• Amateur athlete participating in a sport requiring active use of the upper extremity, such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, or table tennis
• Able to understand and perform the fatigue protocol, recovery intervention, and outcome assessments
• Volunteered to participate and provided written informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Current upper extremity, cervical, or trunk pain or injury that could affect test performance
• History of upper extremity surgery, fracture, or major musculoskeletal trauma that could limit participation
• Neurological, vestibular, or systemic condition affecting upper extremity function, balance, coordination, or exercise tolerance
• Any cardiovascular, respiratory, or medical condition contraindicating participation in fatiguing upper extremity exercise
• Inability to complete the fatigue protocol or outcome assessments safely

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Uludag University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Hatay Mustafa Kemal University

Hatay, Antakya, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Kim MK, Cha HG, Ji SG. The initial effects of an upper extremity neural mobilization technique on muscle fatigue and pressure pain threshold of healthy adults: a randomized control trial. J Phys Ther Sci. 2016 Mar;28(3):743-6. doi: 10.1589/jpts.28.743. Epub 2016 Mar 31.

  PMID: 27134351 BACKGROUND

• Hodgetts CJ, McLeish T, Thomas E, Walker BF. Association Between Chiropractic Students' Hand-Eye Coordination or General Self-efficacy and Their Performance on a Spinal Manipulative Therapy Examination: A Cross-sectional Study. J Chiropr Med. 2021 Dec;20(4):183-190. doi: 10.1016/j.jcm.2021.12.011. Epub 2022 Apr 6.

  PMID: 35496722 BACKGROUND

• Dupuis F, Sole G, Mercier C, Roy JS. Impact of fatigue at the shoulder on the contralateral upper limb kinematics and performance. PLoS One. 2022 Apr 1;17(4):e0266370. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266370. eCollection 2022.

  PMID: 35363812 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Muscle Stretching Exercises

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Exercise Therapy; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Patient Care; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Exercise; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Outcome assessments were performed by assessors who were not involved in administering the interventions and were blinded to group allocation.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Asst. Prof.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 27, 2026
• First Posted: July 2, 2026
• Study Start: December 19, 2025
• Primary Completion: May 28, 2026
• Study Completion: May 29, 2026
• Last Updated: July 2, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)