Modified Sciatic Nerve Mobility Exercises on Hamstring Tightness

Gulf Medical University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Hamstring Tightness

Treatments: Procedure: Modified sciatic nerve mobility exercises; Procedure: Dynamic hamstring muscle stretching

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06604195

IRB-COHS-STD-34-MAR-2023

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study included collegiate students with tight hamstring muscles aged between 18-23 recruited from the Gulf Medical University, Ajman, UAE to compare the effectiveness of modified sciatic nerve mobility exercises and dynamic hamstring muscle stretching (DHMS) on hamstring length in collegiate students with hamstring muscle tightness.

Full description

Hamstring Muscle Tightness is a common musculoskeletal condition that affects a significant proportion of the general population, particularly among collegiate students. Among the student population, sitting for longer periods during college hours is the primary cause of HMT. Evidence suggests that stretching with a combination of manual or instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization are effective in improving hamstring muscle flexibility among individuals with HMT. A meta-analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in knee extension ROM and straight leg raise test measures following neural mobilization treatment which support the effectiveness of neural mobilization treatment in enhancing hamstring flexibility compared to muscle inhibition and stretching techniques . Especially, neural glides and neural stretching designed to restore the overall balance in the nervous system and can increase hamstring muscle flexibility, making them valuable interventions for individuals with HMT. A study on hamstring muscle flexibility in relation leg rotation suggest that hamstring stretching is enhancing the leg rotation and hamstring lengthening. Thus, dynamic stretching targeting the nerves and muscles is warranted for the treatment of tight hamstring in the general population, especially among collegiate students. This evidence provides input for the modification of dynamic sciatic nerve stretching to improve the effects of therapeutic interventions that focus on neuromuscular flexibility, joint ROM, and pain relief. Further evidence also suggests that nerve-directed stretching is superior to muscle-directed stretching in improving hamstring tightness in healthy adults. However, the role of nerve-directed dynamic stretching with hip rotation has not been addressed by previous interventional studies. Therefore, This study compared the effects of modified sciatic-nerve mobility exercises over dynamic hamstring muscle stretching on improving the hamstring length in collegiate students with HMT to determine the most effective approach for managing this condition.

Enrollment: 94 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 25 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Collegiate students with hamstring muscle tightness.
• Unilateral and/or bilateral hamstring muscle tightness.
• Students from the Gulf Medical University.

Exclusion criteria

• History of intervertebral disc lesions and radiculopathies,
• Soft tissue injuries in the lower extremity.
• Spine surgery, lower extremity neurological complications.
• Students engaged in competitive sports.
• Students engaged in other interventional studies.
• Lower back pain from specific causes.
• Pelvic inflammatory conditions.
• Unwillingness to provide informed consent.
• Nutritional deficiencies.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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94 participants in 2 patient groups

Group 1: MSNM

Experimental group

Description:

The participants in this group are treated with modified sciatic nerve mobilization.

Treatment:

Procedure: Modified sciatic nerve mobility exercises

Group 2: DHMS

Active Comparator group

Description:

The participants in this group are treated with dynamic hamstring muscle stretching.

Treatment:

Procedure: Dynamic hamstring muscle stretching