title: Athlete compliance to therapist requested contraction intensity during proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation.
abstract: Contraction intensities between 10 and 100% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) have been proposed in varying muscle energy technique (MET) and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) post-isometric relaxation (PIR) protocols. The current study was undertaken to determine if athletes were able to comply with differing therapist requested contraction intensities during (PNF) stretching protocols. Thirty-six university athletes were recruited and MVC was established at hip extension, hip adduction, and horizontal shoulder adduction. Target PIR contractions were set at 20, 50 and 100% MVC and monitored throughout the contractions with a strain gauge dynamometer. Athletes were not able to match the target contraction values at 20 and 100% MVC (P< or =0.001). When examined for consistency across the three component contractions within each of the three PIR protocols, the athletes demonstrated widely variable scores (coefficient of variation (CV)=23.2-36.4% at 20% MVC; CV=19.3-29.4% at 50% MVC; and, CV=9.4-14.5% at 100% MVC). Our findings indicate that this group of athletes displayed a poor level of compliance to varying therapist requested contraction intensities with respect to both accuracy and consistency.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, UK. peter.sheard@beds.ac.uk
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Sheard
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Tim J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Paine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises / Q000379:methods*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D055815:Young Adult