The Effect of Hamstring Stretching on Lumbar Muscle Activation in Officers
NCT Number: NCT06540053
Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
Phases: NA
Conditions: Office Workers|Muscle Tightness|Lumbar Region|Muscle Shortness|Stretch|Hamstring Flexibility
Interventions: OTHER: Active Static Hamstring Stretch Exercise|OTHER: Waiting List
Sponsor: Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa (IUC)
Sex: ALL
Age: ADULT
Enrollment: 50
Study Design: Allocation: RANDOMIZED|Intervention Model: PARALLEL|Masking: DOUBLE (PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES_ASSESSOR)|Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
Start Date: 2024-08-25
Completion Date: 2025-01-10

Summary:
Prolonged periods of desk work and static postures in office workers lead to various musculoskeletal issues in both the lower and upper extremities. One such issue is hamstring muscle tightness observed in individuals. Tight hamstring muscles contribute to increased electromyographic muscle activity in the lumbar region, altered lumbopelvic rhythm, and changes in lumbar stabilization, leading to low back pain. The viscoelastic properties of the hamstring muscles play a crucial role in maintaining posture and stabilizing the lumbar region. Insufficient hamstring flexibility or viscoelastic properties can alter pelvic position and result in excessive stress in the lumbar region, thereby increasing the risk of low back pain.

It is anticipated that the activation, stabilization, and viscoelasticity of the muscles in the lumbar region will change through static active hamstring stretching exercises, which aim to restore the length-tension relationship in the hamstring muscles. This study aims to investigate the effect of active static hamstring stretching exercises on lumbar muscle activation, stabilization, and viscoelasticity in office workers.

Primary Outcome Measures: Surface Electromyograph, The electromyographic muscle activity of the rectus abdominis, erector spinae, internal and external oblique muscles will be evaluated. Muscle contraction activations will be measured using a two-channel Delsys Trigno Avanti Wireless surface EMG system (Delsys, Inc., Boston, MA, USA). Surface EMG electrodes will be used with the Trigno Avanti EMG sensor, placed at the motor points of the muscles. EMG data sampling will be conducted at a rate of 1000 Hz, with a bandwidth of 20-400 Hz, common mode rejection ratio greater than 80 dB, and root mean square calculated using EMG Works 4.0 analysis software (Delsys, Boston, MA, USA). Prior to electrode placement, skin will be cleaned according to criteria specified by SENIAM for the non-invasive assessment of muscles using Surface Electromyography., 6 weeks|Stabilizer Pressure Biofeedback Unit, Participants will be assessed using "The Stabilizer Pressure Biofeedback Unit" (Chattanooga Group, Inc., US). The pressure cell of the device will be positioned under the lumbar vertebrae, aligned with the midpoint of the posterior superior iliac spines (PSIS). After inflating the manometer to 40 mmHg, participants will be instructed to draw their abdominal wall inwardly. Success is defined as maintaining 40 mmHg pressure without any compensation. Participants will then lie prone, with the pressure cell positioned under the lower abdominal region, aligned with the midpoint of the anterior superior iliac spines (ASIS). After setting the manometer's pressure to 70 mmHg, participants will be asked to contract their muscles. A successful test requires a pressure decrease of 6-10 mmHg. A decrease of less than 2 mmHg, no change, or an increase in pressure indicates muscle inadequacy., 6 weeks|Myoton, To measure the viscoelastic properties of the rectus abdominis, erector spinae, internal, and external oblique muscles, the MyotonPRO (Muomeetria Ltd., Tallinn, Estonia) will be used. Participants will lie comfortably in a prone position. The device probe (3mm diameter, polycarbonate) will be positioned perpendicular to the skin projection of the muscle being measured. A fixed pre-load of 0.18 N will be applied to compress the superficial tissues of the skin. Beneath the compressed subcutaneous tissues, a fixed mechanical force of 0.4 N will apply rapid impulses (15ms) by the device. These mechanical impulses induce local and elastic deformation in the measured muscle. After this deformation, the muscle responds with natural damped oscillations as it returns to its initial state, and these oscillations are recorded as an acceleration graph by sensitive accelerometers at the other end of the probe, which operate frictionlessly and precisely., 6 weeks
Secondary Outcome Measures: Myoton, To measure the tone, stiffness, and elasticity of the hamstring muscle, the MyotonPRO (Muomeetria Ltd., Tallinn, Estonia) will be utilized. Muscle stiffness (N/m) is associated with the maximum acceleration of oscillation and the tissue deformation recorded by the transducer. The Myotonometer can measure the stiffness of tissues up to 2 cm below the epidermis (Liang et al., 2022). Participants will be rested for 5 minutes before measurement, seated with arms relaxed along the body, and measurements will be taken at the thickest point of the relevant muscles. During measurement, the Myotonometer's testing probe will be positioned vertically on the skin surface. The probe will be pushed to the required depth to initiate measurement, and proper depth will be confirmed by the indicator light on the device turning from red to green., 6 weeks|Sit and Reach Test, This test is a valid and reliable measure widely used in clinical settings to assess hamstring flexibility in young adult populations (ICC: 0.92). The participant sits on the floor with their back and head against the wall, legs extended out to a testing platform where the soles of their feet are in full contact and knees are fully extended. During the test, the feet are bare and the platform base is 26 cm long. With hands stacked on top of each other, the participant slowly and controlledly leans forward without bending their knees during expiration. At the maximum reach point, they hold the position for 2 seconds. Measurement is taken from the tip of the third finger, subtracting 26 cm if the measurement falls short or adding if it exceeds, noted against the 26 cm baseline. A measurement below 30 cm indicates loss of flexibility in the hamstring muscles. The test is repeated twice, and the highest value recorded., 6 weeks|PostureScreen Mobile® App, For this research, a device running iOS 17.1.2 will be used. The application allows evaluation of individuals' standing posture from right and left lateral angles, as well as their seated posture from a lateral perspective. Compared to normal posture, the application numerically reports deviations. Within the application, specific reference points are marked on captured photographs using a touchscreen interface. These reference points are utilized to determine postural deviation values and their severity. During image capture, the application displays a green cursor when the phone is level. A distance of 1.5 meters between the phone and the participant is maintained to ensure consistent and accurate measurements across all evaluations. Postural deviation values, calculated in centimeters or degrees for each variable, are reported through the software., 6 weeks