title: A study of two stretching techniques for improving hip flexion range of motion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of a spinal (suboccipital) stretching technique and a peripheral stretching technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Macquarie University Centre for Chiropractic Outpatient Clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  A reliable hand-held dynamometer was used to determine the end point of range of motion (ROM) before and after the application of a treatment. Three groups of subjects were treated: cervical stretch, hip stretch and sham/placebo. ROM of the hip in flexion (straight leg raise) was used as the independent variable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty randomly allocated university students aged between 18 and 35 yr.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two stretching treatments resulted in increased flexion ROM at the hip. Statistical analysis revealed that only the sub-occipital stretching procedure increased hip flexion ROM significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Manual therapy of the neck may have a role to play in the treatment of extraspinal, lower-limb musculoskeletal conditions.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Chiropractic, School of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pollard
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002684:Chiropractic / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009126:Muscle Relaxation; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012026:Reflex, Stretch; D013848:Thigh / Q000502:physiology