Clinical trial NCT06298851: Comparative Effects of Lower Body Quadrant Neural Mobilization and Stretching in Collegiate Football Players
Official title: Comparative Effects of Lower Body Quadrant Neural Mobilization and Stretching in Collegiate Football Players
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Sports Physical Therapy
Stretch
Stretch Injury
Keywords: football players
neural mobilization
static stretching
dynamic stretching
Lead sponsor: Istanbul Medipol University Hospital
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2024-03-07
Enrollment: 40
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 25
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE

Brief summary: Neural mobilization (NM) refers to a therapeutic interventions that aim to directly or indirectly influence neural structures and adjacent tissues through manual techniques or exercise. The application of NM has been investigated in both patients and healthy individuals. In this study, participants from an amateur football team will be allocated into three groups, each undergoing pre-training warm-up protocols incorporating NM, dynamic stretching, or static stretching. Following the warm-up protocols, the effects on flexibility and athletic performance will be evaluated and compared across the groups.

Detailed description: Neural mobilization (NM) is an intervention that involves manual techniques or exercises designed to affect neural structures and surrounding tissues. It aims to restore normal neural mechanical and physiological responses to movement and posture by facilitating the sliding and tension of the nerves. NM techniques can be divided into two groups: gliding, which involves different joint movements, and tension, which extends the nerves in more than one joint. Although NM has been linked to various neurophysiological benefits, the precise mechanisms underlying its clinical efficacy remain uncertain.

The peripheral nervous system demonstrates the ability to adapt to changing mechanical forces encountered during daily activities and sports through nerve gliding and sliding mechanisms. Impaired gliding may result in increased neural stress and ischemic damage, affecting neural function. NM has been shown to improve lower extremity flexibility, which is crucial for enhancing functionality and minimizing injury risk in athletes. Neurodynamic techniques are frequently used to increase hamstring flexibility and reduce neural mechanosensitivity, contributing positively to athletic performance and injury prevention.

The aim of this study is to examine the comparative effects of static stretching, dynamic stretching and neural mobilization techniques used in pre-training warm-up sessions on flexibility and performance in collegiate football players.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Between the ages of 18-25
* Not having had a lower or upper extremity injury in the last 3 months
* Not having had surgery in the last 6 months
* Playing amateur football regularly for at least 1 year

Exclusion Criteria:

* Orthopedic, neurological, rheumatological or cardiorespiratory health problems that would prevent them from performing the tests

Primary outcomes:
measure: Straight Leg Raise Test
timeFrame: From pre-interventional time to post-interventional about an hour
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Y Balance Test
timeFrame: From pre-interventional time to post-interventional about an hour
Other outcomes:
measure: One-Leg Forward Jump Test
timeFrame: From pre-interventional time to post-interventional about an hour
measure: T Test
timeFrame: From pre-interventional time to post-interventional about an hour
measure: BlazePod Reaction Time Determination Test
timeFrame: From pre-interventional time to post-interventional about an hour
Locations:
city: Istanbul
country: Turkey
facility: Istanbul Medipol University
Study officials:
References: