title: A comparison of two muscle energy techniques for increasing flexibility of the hamstring muscle group.
abstract: Variations in the application of muscle energy technique (MET) for increasing the extensibility of muscles have been advocated, but little evidence exists to support the relative merit of a particular approach. This study investigated two types of muscle energy techniques that have been advocated in the osteopathic literature that differ primarily in the duration of the post-contraction stretch phase. Forty asymptomatic participants (mean age=22.1+/-3.5, male female=1:4) were randomly allocated to one of two groups (Group 1: MET with 30-s post-isometric stretch phase; Group 2: MET with 3-s post-isometric stretch phase). Hamstring length was measured using active knee extension (AKE). Participants received an initial application of the allocated intervention, and then a second application 1 week later. Analysis with a split-plot ANOVA revealed a significant effect of time (F(3,36)=42.30;p<0.01), but no significant time*group interaction (F(3,36)=0.12; p=0.95). Post-hoc analysis revealed that the significant differences over time occurred between pre- and post-measurements at both weeks, and between post-Week 1 and pre-Week 2 measurements. Both techniques appeared to be equally effective in increasing hamstring extensibility, and there appeared to be sustained improvement 1 week following the initial treatment. The findings suggest that altering the duration of the passive stretch component does not have a significant impact on the efficacy of MET for short-term increases in muscle extensibility.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Madeleine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fryer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D026301:Manipulation, Osteopathic / Q000379:methods*; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises / Q000379:methods*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D018583:Pliability; D013848:Thigh; D055815:Young Adult