STATIC VERSUS PNF STRETCHING IN HAMSTRING FLEXIBILITY-A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Background: Stretching used as a technique for injury prevention in the clinical settings, the study aimed
to determine the early findings of hamstring tightness with both groups in the population, now a days
the sedentary activities like prolonged sitting might cause hamstring tightness and change in path
kinematics of gait intern lead to postural defects and back pain, understanding of the stretching helps
clinician to make decisions for rehabilitation.
Methods: Across-sectional study, counterbalanced with repeated-measures , one group with static
stretch – (double hamstring stretch and hurdlers stretch) for 3 times,30seconds subsequently in another
group PNF contract relax(agonist contraction) technique for 10 seconds position and 10 seconds stretch
repeated for 3 times.
Results: The results from data and statistical analysis by using t-test, SPSS obtained by using goniometer
are tabulated in terms of mean, standard deviation and p-value in both groups. In experimental group
flexion with PNF showed improvement 9.27±1.91(right side), 9.53±2.42(left side) and static stretching
showed 7.8±2.91(right side), 7.47±1.96(left side) this proves that PNF has consistent improvement than
static stretching
Conclusions: Static and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching both have produced greater
improvement but compared with PNF contract relax(agonist) stretching showed significant change in
hamstring flexibility compared with control group . The effect sizes, however corresponding to these
stretching-induced changes were small, which suggests the need for practitioners to consider a risk-tobenefit ratio when incorporating static or proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching.