title: Effects of long-term self-massage at the musculotendinous junction on hamstring extensibility, stiffness, stretch tolerance, and structural indices: A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of long-term self-massage at the musculotendinous junction on hamstring extensibility, stiffness, stretch tolerance, and structural indices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single-blind, randomized, controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven healthy men.
  
  
  METHODS
  The right or left leg of each participant was randomly assigned to the massage group, and the other leg was assigned to the control group. The participants conducted self-massage at the musculotendinous junction for 3 min daily, five times per week, for 12 weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hamstring extensibility, stiffness, stretch tolerance, and structural indices were measured by a blinded examiner prior to the massage intervention and after 6 and 12 weeks of intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The maximum hip flexion angle (HFA) and the maximum passive pressure after 6 and 12 weeks of intervention in the massage group were significantly higher than prior to intervention. The visual analog scale (for pain perception) at maximum HFA, the stiffness of the hamstring, and the structural indices did not differ in either group over the 12 week period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that long-term self-massage at the musculotendinous junction increases hamstring extensibility by improving stretch tolerance. However, this intervention does not change hamstring stiffness.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  University Hospital Medical Information Network registration number UMIN000011233.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Kasei Tamura Hospital, Shimabashihigashinocyo 1-11, Wakayama-city, Wakayama 640-8413, Japan. Electronic address: akazawa_naoki@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akazawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Kasei Tamura Hospital, Shimabashihigashinocyo 1-11, Wakayama-city, Wakayama 640-8413, Japan. Electronic address: nao_ru126@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Kasei Tamura Hospital, Shimabashihigashinocyo 1-11, Wakayama-city, Wakayama 640-8413, Japan. Electronic address: takashix0505@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kishi
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Kasei Tamura Hospital, Shimabashihigashinocyo 1-11, Wakayama-city, Wakayama 640-8413, Japan. Electronic address: cfhip000@jtw.zaq.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Kasei Tamura Hospital, Shimabashihigashinocyo 1-11, Wakayama-city, Wakayama 640-8413, Japan. Electronic address: nskw1477@iris.eonet.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Kasei Tamura Hospital, Shimabashihigashinocyo 1-11, Wakayama-city, Wakayama 640-8413, Japan. Electronic address: daichi20092009@hotmail.co.jp.
authors.forename: Daichi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tokumura
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Wakayama Physical Therapy College, Kitano 229-2, Wakayama-city, Wakayama 649-6331, Japan. Electronic address: matsui@kyowa.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Tomogaoka 7-10-2, Suma-ku, Kobe 654-0142, Japan. Electronic address: morihide@harbor.kobe-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moriyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000070633:Hamstring Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012648:Self Care; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013710:Tendons / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Hamstring extensibility; Musculotendinous junction; Self-massage; Stretch tolerance