title: Effects of Hot or Cold Water Immersion and Modified Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Flexibility Exercise on Hamstring Length.
abstract: OBJECTIVE: To compare the changes in hamstring length resulting from modified proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation flexibility training in combination with cold-water immersion, hot-water immersion, and stretching alone. DESIGN AND SETTING: Training-only subjects stood motionless for 10 minutes, while subjects in the cold group stood in a cold-water bath (8 degrees +/- 1 degrees C) immersed up to the gluteal fold for 10 minutes, and subjects in the hot group stood in a hot-water bath (44 degrees +/- 1 degrees C) immersed up to the gluteal fold for 10 minutes. All subjects exercised only the right lower limb using a modified proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation flexibility protocol, consisting of 1 set of 4 repetitions. This procedure was followed for 5 consecutive days. SUBJECTS: Forty-five uninjured subjects (21 women, 24 men; age range, 18-25 years) were randomly assigned to the cold, hot, or stretching-alone group. MEASUREMENTS: Subjects were measured for maximum active hip flexion on the first and fifth days. RESULTS: Group results were assessed using a 2 x 3 analysis of variance, comparing changes in hamstring length from pretest to posttest. All 3 groups had significant improvements in hamstring length (pretest to posttest) (P <.05). However, no significant differences occurred among groups. CONCLUSIONS: No advantage was apparent in using complete hot or cold immersion to increase hamstring length in healthy subjects.
authors.affiliation: St Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Darren G.
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: Laurence E.
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Natalie C.
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: MacKinnon
authors.forename: Jeffery F.
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Vossen
authors.forename: Thomas W.
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Pelham