title: Uninvolved versus target muscle contraction during contract: relax proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effect of the contract-relax (CR) stretching technique on knee active range of motion (ROM) using target muscle contraction or an uninvolved muscle contraction.
  
  
  METHODS
  pre-test post-test control experimental design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty healthy men were randomly assigned to one of three groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Contract-Relax group (CR) performed a traditional hamstring CR stretch, the Modified Contract-Relax group (MCR) performed hamstring CR stretching using contraction of an uninvolved muscle distant from the target muscle, and the Control group (CG) did not stretch.
  
  
  METHODS
  Active knee extension test was performed before and after the stretching procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two-way between-within analysis of variance (ANOVA) results showed a significant interaction between group and pre-test to post-test (p < 0.001). Post-hoc examination of individual groups showed no significant change in ROM for the CG (0.8°, p = 0.084), and a significant moderate increase in ROM for both the CR (7.0°, p < 0.001) and MCR (7.0°, p < 0.001) groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ROM gain following a CR PNF procedure is the same whether the target stretching muscle is contracted, or an uninvolved muscle is contracted.
authors.affiliation: Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Department of Physical Therapy, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. danielazevedo@pucminas.br
authors.forename: Daniel Camara
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.forename: Raphael Marques
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Ricardo Vidal
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Alves Corrêa
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chalmers
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000502:physiology*; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises / Q000379:methods*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult