Clinical trial NCT03651141: The Effects of Soft Tissue Therapy and Exercise on Hamstring Tightness
Official title: The Effects of Myofascial Decompression and Neurodynamic Sliding on the Hamstring for Division I Track and Field Athletes With Hamstring Tightness
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Hamstring Tightness
Myofascial Pain
Musculoskeletal Pain
Keywords: Hamstring tightness
myofascial decompression
cupping
neurodynamic sliding
Lead sponsor: Oklahoma State University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2018-08-29
Enrollment: 21
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 25
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: FACTORIAL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

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.

Detailed description: Predisposing factors to hamstring injury include neural tension and muscle flexibility restrictions due to fascial adhesions. The sciatic nerve can produce symptoms of pain, decreased range of motion, and increased resting muscle tone when it is overstretched. The nerve can be overstretched after a hamstring injury and cause adhesions on the nerve and abnormal mechanosensitivity leading to perceived hamstring tightness.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.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* 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.

Exclusion Criteria:

* 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

Primary outcomes:
measure: Hamstring Flexibility change
timeFrame: Baseline, 5 minutes after intervention, and within 24 hours of intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Hamstring muscle strength change
timeFrame: Baseline, 5 minutes after intervention, and within 24 hours of intervention
measure: Time of Force Development
timeFrame: Baseline, 5 minutes after intervention, and within 24 hours of intervention
measure: Electromyographic (EMG) Muscle Activation of the Hamstring muscles
timeFrame: Baseline, 5 minutes after intervention, and within 24 hours of intervention
measure: Disablement of the Physically Active patient outcome survey
timeFrame: Baseline, 5 minutes after intervention, and within 24 hours of intervention
measure: Functional Patient Outcome survey
timeFrame: Baseline, 5 minutes after intervention, and within 24 hours of intervention
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Stillwater
country: United States
facility: Applied Neuromuscular Physiology Lab
state: Oklahoma
Study officials:
affiliation: Oklahoma State University
name: Aric Warren, EdD
role: STUDY_CHAIR
References: