Publication:

Correlation between hamstring flexibility and incidence of low back pain in physiotherapy students

Background Due to mobile phones and other devices, students are becoming more sedentary these days. Their muscles become rigid as a result of their inactivity. Therefore, our study must analyze the problem of hamstring flexibility and determine the prevalence of low back discomfort among students. The current study aimed to observed the difference in hamstring muscle flexibility. The difference between dominant and non-dominant legs and to determine the correlation between low back pain and hamstring muscle flexibility.

Methods One hundred students both male and female with hamstring flexibility of at least 150 have been included in this study. Hamstring muscle shortening was examined by the active knee extension test and straight leg raising test, While the low back disability stage was assessed by Oswestry disability index.

Results The straight leg rising and the active knee extension test (AKE) of the right leg were significantly more flexible than the left side. There was a weak positive non- significant correlation between ODI and AKE of the; right side (r=-0.133, p=0.70) and the left side (r=-0.119, p=0.80). There was weak negative non- significant correlation between ODI and straight leg raising test (SLR) of the right side.  There was a weak positive non-significant correlation between ODI and SLR of the right and left side.

Conclusions The results of this study should demonstrate a negative correlation and no discernible link between LBP and hip and knee hamstring flexibility.