Short term effectiveness of neural sliders and neural tensioners as an adjunct to static stretching of hamstrings on knee extension angle in healthy individuals: A randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the added benefit of nerve-biased interventions over static stretching in hamstring flexibility and to compare the effectiveness of two types of nerve-biased interventions over a week.


METHODS
Three-arm assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
University Laboratory.


METHODS
Sixty healthy individuals (mean age = 22 ± 2.4 years) with reduced hamstring flexibility were randomized to three groups who received static stretching and neurodynamic sliders (NS-SS); static stretching with neurodynamic tensioner (NT-SS) and static stretching (SS) alone.


METHODS
Knee extension angle (KEA) in degrees.


RESULTS
Baseline characteristics including demographic, anthropomorphic and KEA between groups were comparable. A significant interaction was observed between group (intervention) and time, [F (2,114) = 3.595; p = 0.031]. Post-hoc pairwise comparisons analyses revealed significant differences at post-intervention measurement time point between NS-SS and SS (mean difference: -6.8; 95%CI = -12, -1.5; p = 0.011) and NT-SS and SS (mean difference: -11.6; 95%CI = -16.7, -6.3; p < 0.001). However there was no significant difference between NS-SS and NT-SS groups (mean difference: 4.8; 95%CI = 0.4, 9.9; p = 0.074).


CONCLUSIONS
Neural sliders and tensioners are both effective in increasing hamstring flexibility as an adjunct to static hamstring stretching when compared to static stretching alone. No neural mobilization technique proved to be superior over another.


BACKGROUND
This clinical trial is registered in Clinical Trials Registry- India (CTRI) with registration number CTRI/2012/05/002619.
Department of Physiotherapy, Manipal School of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal University, Karnataka, India. Electronic address: saurabsharma1@gmail.com.
Saurab
S
Sharma
Department of Physiotherapy, Manipal School of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal University, Karnataka, India.
Ganesh
G
Balthillaya
Department of Physiotherapy, Manipal School of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal University, Karnataka, India.
Roopa
R
Rao
Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research, School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Ramakrishnan
R
Mani
D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises / Q000379:methods*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
Hamstring flexibility; Neural mobilization; Neurodynamics; Slump mobilization