Stretching Techniques of Knee Muscles and Their Effect on Joint Range, Suppleness and Muscle Activity in Elderly

Deepak Malhotra

Status: Completed

Conditions: Muscle Weakness; Muscle Tightness

Treatments: Other: Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Stretching - Contract Relax stretching (PNF-CR); Other: Static Stretching (SS)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05785416

16/9/121/JMI/IEC/2017

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this clinical trial was to compare the effect of two different types of stretching techniques in elderly population. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. What is the immediate effect (after a single intervention) of these stretching techniques on muscle flexibility, amount of knee joint motion and muscle activity?
2. What is the effect of a four week intervention program of these stretching techniques on muscle flexibility, amount of knee joint motion and muscle activity? There were three groups with ten randomly allocated participants in each group. Intervention group I was given a stretching technique called contract-relax technique and the Intervention group II was given static stretching. The third group was not given any treatment and was taken as a control. The main aim was to find out that whether the two techniques are effective or not and which one of the two is better than the other in terms of improvement in the above mentioned parameters.

Full description

The objective of the study was to compare the effects of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation - Contract Relax (PNF- CR) and static stretch techniques immediately and post four weeks of intervention on knee range of motion, flexibility and electromyographic activity of knee muscles among older adults. This is an outcome assessor-blinded pre-test post-test randomized controlled trial with two experimental groups (PNF-CR and Static Stretching) and a control group. 30 males aged 55-75 years were randomly assigned into PNF group (n=10), Static Stretch group (n=10) and Control group (n=10). Knee range of motion, electromyographic activity of hamstrings and sit and reach test, were taken for the dominant side thrice: pre-intervention, immediately after stretching and after the training period. Active knee range of motion (ROM) was assessed using a universal goniometer. Surface Electromyography (EMG) was used to record Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of biceps femoris and the Chair Sit-and-Reach Test (CART) was used to assess the hamstring muscle's length flexibility.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 55 to 75 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Male adults aged between 55 and 75 years
• Able to do activities of daily living (ADL) without assistance
• Able to comprehend and follow instructions

Exclusion criteria

• Grade III or IV osteoarthritis or any other musculoskeletal condition affecting the muscle length.
• History of any surgery to hip, knee, low back or ankle
• History of any medication (anti-inflammatory, for pain relief, or anti-arthritic) in previous six months
• History of life-threatening disease (neurological disease, cardiovascular disease, severe hypertension)
• Passive full knee extension (popliteal angle 180 degrees)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 3 patient groups

PNF- CR Group

Experimental group

Description:

The participants in the group were given PNF contract- relax stretching using the standard protocol. One trial had two isometric contractions each followed by five seconds muscle stretch and there was a total of four trials. Total of 12 sessions in 4 weeks (3sessions/week).

Treatment:

Other: Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Stretching - Contract Relax stretching (PNF-CR)

Static Stretching Group

Experimental group

Description:

The participants in the group were given sustained stretching for a period of 80s at a stretch. Total of 12 sessions in 4 weeks (3sessions/week).

Treatment:

Other: Static Stretching (SS)

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

No intervention was given in this group