The lack of hamstring muscle group flexibility has previously been associated with a higher incidence of hamstring strains among athletes. Several stretching methods have been shown to increase hip joint range of motion (ROM); however, identification of an optimal stretching method has proven difficult. The purpose of this study was to find an optimal method of stretching to improve hip flexion range of motion. Forty-three female college students, ranging in age from 18 to 29 yrs., volunteered to participate in this study. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of three stretching groups: static, contract relax, contract relax agonist contract. The subjects' maximal passive and active hip flexion ROM values were measured using an inclinometer. The subjects were stretched by the same partners at a rate of six days a week for a total of 20 treatments over a 23 day period. The selected stretching techniques produced significant pretest to posttest increases (p<0.02) in both passive and active hip flexion ROM. None of the stretching techniques improved passive or active hip flexion ROM significantly more the contract relax agonist contract technique producing an average increase of 17.6 �� 14.1 deg, and the contract relax technique resulting in an average increase of 12.0 �� 10.8 deg. A significant stretching technique x pretestiposttest interaction was found for the passive ROM values (p<.02). Scheffe' post hoc analysis of simple interaction effects revealed that the static stretching technique improved posttest passive hip flexion ROM significantly more than the PNF contract relax stretching method (p<.05). The results suggest that all three stretching techniques selected for this study are effective in increasing hip flexion range of motion. Static stretching of the hamstring produced the greatest increases in both passive and active hip flexion ROM, but no optimal technique was identified. / Graduation date: 1996
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/15265 |
| Date | 21 July 1995 |
| Creators | Sundquist, Robert D. |
| Contributors | Harter, Rod A. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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