• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.1461-1467
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether static stretching or Thera-band stretching of hamstrings is more effective in improving the flexibility of hamstrings. A total of 40 participants performed stretching 3 times a week for 4 weeks, and a sitting trunk flexion meter was used to measure the flexibility of the hamstrings. Differences in hamstring flexibility before and after the application of static and Thera-band stretching were analyzed, and differences between the stretching methods were also analyzed. As a result, hamstring flexibility increased significantly after the static stretching program (p=.000), and also increased significantly after the Thera-band stretching program (p=.000). Although both programs were effective in improving hamstring flexibility, but there was no significant difference between the two groups (p=.058). Therefore, static stretching and Thera-band stretching are effective interventions to improve and maintain hamstring flexibility.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.259-268
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study was to measure the immediate effect of hip hinge exercise stretching on hamstring flexibility, pelvic tilting angle, proprioception, and dynamic balance in individual with tightness of the hamstring. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: A total of 35 healthy young adults (27 males, 8 females) volunteered for this study and randomly divided into three groups (Hip hinge exercise stretching group, passive stretching group, and PNF stretching group). The hamstring flexibility, pelvic tilting angle, knee joint proprioception, dynamic balance was conducted for 3 times. In order to evaluate the hamstring flexibility, the active knee extension test was performed. Forward bending test was performed to examine pelvic tilting angle.The proprioception was tested by the joint position sense test and dynamic balance was evaluated by Y balance test. Results: The hamstring flexibility, pelvic tilting angle and dynamic balance were significantly improved between three groups before and after intervention (p<0.05). Dynamic balance was significantly difference between the three groups in the posterolateral direction (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study result showed that hip hinge exercise stretching was the most effective method for increasing hamstring flexibility, pelvic tilting angle and dynamic balance. In addition, it is necessary to study whether hamstring stretching is effective in low back pain patient with hamstrings tightness.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.2102-2106
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• 2020

Background: Static hamstring stretching exercises have been widely used to improve flexibility of the hamstring muscles. However, few studies have examined the influence of standing static hamstring stretching (e.g., jack-knife stretching) on movements of the lumbopelvic-hip complex. Objectives: To examine the short-term effects of jack-knife stretching on movements of the lumbopelvic-hip complex. Design: Case series. Methods: Fourteen participants with hamstring tightness (8 male, 6 female) were recruited. Participants performed jack-knife stretching for 150 s. Before and after stretching, participants performed the finger-to-floor distance (FFD), sit and reach (SRT), active knee extension (AKE), passive straight leg raising (PSLA), and active straight leg raising (ASLR) tests as well as pelvic tilt while standing to identify the effects of stretching. Results: There were significant improvements in the FFD, SRT, AKE, PSLA, and ASLR tests after stretching. However, pelvic tilt angle while standing did not significantly change. Conclusion: Jack-knife stretching can be a useful exercise to improve flexibility of the hamstring muscles, but not pelvic alignment while standing.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.77-87
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• 2023

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in the flexibility and elasticity of the muscles when the hamstrings were stretched in one direction and when they were stretched in three directions. METHODS: In this study the subjects were divided into two groups, namely the 'one-direction stretching exercise of the hamstring muscle in the neutral position' group (female: 14 people, male: 14 people) and the 'three-way stretching exercise' group (female: 12 people, male: 14 people) considering the positions of the three hamstring muscles. The elasticity and flexibility of the hamstring muscles were measured before and after the self-extension exercise, and the average value of two measurements was noted. To evaluate the flexibility of the hamstring muscle, a 'sit and reach' test was performed, and muscle elasticity was measured using the MyotonPRO® device. RESULTS: After the stretching exercise, flexibility increased in both groups. In terms of muscle elasticity, the body dynamic strength and resonance frequency of the stretching one-direction stretching group decreased after the stretching exercise. CONCLUSION: To alter the muscle characteristics and increase the flexibility when performing a stretching exercise, selecting and stretching only one muscle with the lowest range of motion yields effective results. The ideal technique to be employed appears to be to stretch the entire hamstring muscle in one direction from the neutral position.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2010

Purpose: Stretching exercises are commonly used in conjunction with sports and rehabilitation. Weassessed the immediate effects of stretching on passive stiffness of the hamstring muscles and knee range of motion (ROM) using three stretching techniques. Methods: A total of 45 participants were recruited. Isokinetic equipment was used to measure the passive stiffness of hamstring muscles and an inclinometer was used to measure active and passive ROM of the knee joint pre and post stretching. Stiffness was then calculated based on the incline of the torque-angle relationship. The test conditions for Group I were $3{\times}30$ seconds of static stretches using the hamstring muscle, Group II were $3{\times}30$ seconds of static stretches using the hamstring muscle with ankle dorsiflexion, and Group IIII had $3{\times}30$ seconds of active stretching. Results: Group II had significantly higher excursion of active ROM and Group IIIhad significantly higher excursion of passive muscle stiffness. All of the groups had significantly higher active and passive ROM and significantly lower muscle stiffness after stretching. The participants showed no change in hamstring muscle stiffness on the following day. Conclusion: Stretching has significant acute effects on ROM and muscle stiffness and canbe used in warm-up protocols for reducing muscle stiffness before a variety of exercise programs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.19-27
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• 2019

PURPOSE: This study examined which stretching exercise had the most positive effect on increasing the range of motion (ROM) of the knee joint in healthy people and whether there was a difference between continuous stretching and intermittent stretching. METHODS: This study included 30 healthy university students from OOO University. The subjects were asked to sit on a mat and perform hamstring-stretching exercise during which the ROM and muscle tone were measured with pre and post-tests. Each subject was assigned randomly to a continuous stretching group (stretching without relaxation time group, n=10, G1) or intermittent stretching group (stretching with 10s relaxing time group, n=10, G2; and stretching with 20s relaxing time group, n=10, G3). The participants conducted hamstring stretching exercises with a sit-and-reach box at three different rest times (0s, 10s, and 20s). Subsequently, they underwent passive knee extension (PKE) tests, in which the ROM of the knee joint was measured with a goniometer, and the muscle tone was evaluated using a MyotonPro. RESULTS: Significant differences in muscle tone, stiffness, and ROM were observed between pre-test and post-test in each groups (p<.05). Although the post hoc tests indicated no significant differences in muscle tone and ROM between the continuous stretching group and intermittent stretching group (p>.05), the rate of change of the ROM showed that the intermittent stretching group developed more effective maintenance of the hamstring flexibility. CONCLUSION: No significant differences in the muscle tone of the hamstring and ROM of the knee joint were observed according to the hamstring stretching exercises with three different rest times. On the other hand, the rate of change of the ROM showed that intermittent stretching maintained the hamstring flexibility more effectively.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.559-567
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• 2005

The purpose of this research is to study how the stretching exercise along with heat and electric therapy can effect on Angle of Lumbar Flexion and Reduction of Pain against the Hamstring Construction Symptom that can be found in the Chronic Low Back Patients. The target of research was 28 person selected out of the patients diagnosed as Lumbar Sprain and Lumbar Syndrome, who have positive from the active test of Hamstring construction and passive test. Their age range is 20 to 60 years old, 14 male and 14 female. As a research method, simple heat and electric therapy was applied to counter part while Hamstring Stretching Exercise including simple heat and electric therapy was applied to the experimental part. After 6 weeks treatment for each part, the results of effect on Angle of Lumbar Flexion and Pain Reduction was compared and analysed on the basis of the gravity angle meter and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The outcome of research is as follows: 1. Angle of Lumbar Flextion increased effectively not in the conventional counter group but the experimental group to which Hamstring Stretching was applied simultaneously. 2. remarkable effect was shown in the experimental part applied Hamstring Stretching. Consequently from the results of this study, we could find out the fact that the therapy combined preserve treatment and hamstring stretching not only produced increasing Lumbar Flexion Angle but also was more effective on reducing pain of the patients according to it than the conventional or preserve therapy.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.45-52
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• 2017

Purpose : Most of the moderns have been spent sedentary life style in front of desk or on the chairs, so that their hamstring muscles are shorted commonly and the shortness of hamstring muscles are caused to some problems in functional activities. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of thermotherapy with hot-pack and ultrasound on the tightness of hamstring muscles in individuals with hamstring tightness. Method : Twenty-eight persons with hamstring tightness participated in this study. They were randomly assigned to three exercise groups: stretching group(n=10), hot-pack group(n=9), and ultrasound group(n=9). Before experiment, this study measured the angle of hip flexion using a inclinometer in all participants. Stretching group conducted actively stretching on their shorted leg for 30 seconds, 3 times, and rest for 10 seconds between each exercises. Hot-pack group have applied hot-pack($70{\sim}75^{\circ}C$) on shorted hamstring muscles for 20 minutes before stretching exercise. Ultrasound group have applied therapeutic ultrasound(1 MHz and 1.5W/cm2) on shorted hamstring muscles for 10 minutes before stretching exercise. All data was analysed using one-way repeated ANOVA. Result : The results revealed that ultrasound therapy before stretching is more effective to the flexibility on hamstring muscles than hot-pack before stretching and stretching only. Conclusion : The results of this study show that thermotherapy with therapeutic ultrasound will be effective on the shortness of hamstring muscles before stretching exercise.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제35권5호
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• pp.125-131
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• 2023

Purpose: This study examined the acute effects of static and dynamic stretching on the flexibility of the hamstring, dynamic balance ability, and function of the lower extremities in healthy adults. Methods: Thirty participants were assigned randomly to three groups: static stretching group (SSG), basic dynamic stretching group (BDSG), and 5 sec dynamic stretching group (5DSG). SSG performed three sets of 30 seconds of static stretching. BDSG performed a single-leg deadlift (SLD) at the same time as SSG, and 5DSG performed SLD held for five seconds. Hamstring flexibility, dynamic balance ability, and lower extremity function were evaluated before and after intervention. Results: The hamstring flexibility significantly improved in all groups (p<0.05). The dynamic balance ability improved significantly after intervention in all groups except BDSG in the anterior direction (p<0.05). There were significant differences in the posterolateral and posteromedial direction in all groups. The function of the lower extremity showed significant improvement over time only in BDSG (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study suggested that basic dynamic stretching and 5 sec dynamic stretching positively affect the hamstring flexibility, dynamic balance ability, and lower extremity function. Therefore, it is recommended to include dynamic stretching in a program for improving the hamstring flexibility, dynamic balance ability, and the lower extremity function. In addition, it is recommended to apply it at different times depending on the purpose.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.47-54
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to compare the duration of hamstring flexibility improvement after 3 stretching interventions in people with limited hamstring flexibility. Twenty-two subjects (12 men, 10 women) with limited hamstring flexibility of the dominant leg received 3 stretching interventions- modified dynamic stretching (MDS), hold-relax (HR), and static stretching (SS)-in a random order. All the subjects received all 3 interventions at intervals of at least 24 hours to minimize any carry-over effect. Modified dynamic stretching was applied as a closed kinetic chain exercise in the supine position by using the sling suspension system (Redcord Trainer(R)). The SS and HR interventions were individually performed in the straight leg raising (SLR) position, and all 3 interventions were performed for 3 minutes. Outcome measures included passive knee extension (PKE) measurements. Five post-test measurements were recorded for all subjects at 3, 6, 9, 15, and 30 minutes after the interventions. MDS was associated with a significant increase in knee extension range of motion even at 30 minutes post-treatment. In contrast, the HR and SS stretching methods showed increased hamstring flexibility for only 6 minutes post-treatment. Improvements in the range of motion of knee extension (indicating enhancement in hamstring flexibility) with MDS were maintained longer than those with the HR and SS interventions. Therefore, MDS may be more effective than the other interventions for maintaining hamstring flexibility.