The acute effects of hamstring stretching and vibration on dynamic knee joint range of motion and jump performance.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate dynamic knee joint range of motion (ROM) and jump performance following a single bout of passive hamstring stretching, hamstring vibration or a combination of both.


METHODS
Knee joint dynamic ROM and jump performance were assessed prior to, immediately following and 10 min following stretching and vibration of the hamstring muscles. The study was a crossover design with all participants completing three interventions: (1) 3 x 30s static stretches of the hamstring muscles, (2) 3 x 30s bouts of vibration applied to the hamstring muscles, (3) a combination of the stretching and vibration protocols.


METHODS
The study was conducted in the muscle performance laboratory of Auckland University of Technology.


METHODS
Ten male participants (mean+/-SD, age 22.7+/-3.6 yr, height 181.2+/-6.51 cm, mass 84.9+/-12.3 kg) with no musculoskeletal problems volunteered to participate in this study.


METHODS
Dynamic knee joint ROM and jump height.


RESULTS
The only increase in dynamic knee joint ROM was between the pre and immediate post assessments in the stretching intervention (mean change 3 degrees or 2%, ES=0.4, p=0.011). There was no statistically significant interaction between intervention and time for any of the jump performance assessments.


CONCLUSIONS
A single bout of stretching produced a small, short-lived change in dynamic knee joint ROM but did not change jump performance. The addition of vibration alone or in combination with stretching did not influence dynamic knee joint ROM or jump performance.
Cronin
John
J
School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 100 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, Western Australia 6027, Australia.
Nash
Michelle
M
Whatman
Chris
C
D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D013848:Thigh / Q000502:physiology*; D014732:Vibration / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult