Stretching Techniques of Knee Muscles and Their Effect on Joint Range, Suppleness and Muscle Activity in Elderly
Condition: Muscle Tightness; Muscle Weakness
MeSH terms: Muscle Weakness
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The goal of this clinical trial was to compare the effect of two different types of
      stretching techniques in elderly population. The main questions it aims to answer are:

        1. What is the immediate effect (after a single intervention) of these stretching
           techniques on muscle flexibility, amount of knee joint motion and muscle activity?

        2. What is the effect of a four week intervention program of these stretching techniques on
           muscle flexibility, amount of knee joint motion and muscle activity? There were three
           groups with ten randomly allocated participants in each group. Intervention group I was
           given a stretching technique called contract-relax technique and the Intervention group
           II was given static stretching. The third group was not given any treatment and was
           taken as a control. The main aim was to find out that whether the two techniques are
           effective or not and which one of the two is better than the other in terms of
           improvement in the above mentioned parameters.
    

Detailed description: 
      The objective of the study was to compare the effects of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular
      Facilitation - Contract Relax (PNF- CR) and static stretch techniques immediately and post
      four weeks of intervention on knee range of motion, flexibility and electromyographic
      activity of knee muscles among older adults. This is an outcome assessor-blinded pre-test
      post-test randomized controlled trial with two experimental groups (PNF-CR and Static
      Stretching) and a control group. 30 males aged 55-75 years were randomly assigned into PNF
      group (n=10), Static Stretch group (n=10) and Control group (n=10). Knee range of motion,
      electromyographic activity of hamstrings and sit and reach test, were taken for the dominant
      side thrice: pre-intervention, immediately after stretching and after the training period.
      Active knee range of motion (ROM) was assessed using a universal goniometer. Surface
      Electromyography (EMG) was used to record Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of
      biceps femoris and the Chair Sit-and-Reach Test (CART) was used to assess the hamstring
      muscle's length flexibility.
    

Intervention name(s): Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Stretching - Contract Relax stretching (PNF-CR); Static Stretching (SS)
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): PNF-CR utilized the concept of autogenic inhibition of the muscle for improving the flexibility of the muscle. It includes stretching a muscle after a brief period of activation.; The SS technique utilized the concept of creep for improving the hamstring flexibility. The stretch was maintained for a prolonged period passively by the therapist.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: 30 males aged 55-75 years were randomly assigned into 3 arms - PNF group (n=10), Static Stretch group (n=10) and Control group (n=10)
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Contract Relax; Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation; Electromyography; Elderly; Flexibility; Range of Motion