Publication:

PNF stretching and its immediate impact on hamstring flexibility and agility

Background Hamstring muscle is the most common muscle that goes into tightness due to changes in the active lifestyle. Hamstring tightness in college students can result from a combination of factors, including prolonged periods of sitting during lectures and study sessions, insufficient physical activity, poor posture. Hamstring tautness is often an indicator of muscle weakness, which may affect the performance. The aim of the study was to assess the immediate effects of PNF stretching on hamstring flexibility and agility in lower extremity.

Methods This study was conducted at Tejasvini Physiotherapy College. The participants recruited were students from the college aged between 18-25 years both male (n=30) and females (n=30). The hamstring flexibility was checked using active knee extension test in pre and post-test and the performance was assessed by using agility test (t-test and Illinois test). In post-test PNF contract relax agonist contract (CRAC) stretch was given to all the participants and their performance was rechecked. Data were analysed by SPSS 16.0 and the effect of pre and post PNF contract relax agonist contract was estimated by using paired t-test.

Results Using paired t-test, the PNF CRAC stretch made an average of hamstring flexibility of 8.3 and 8.0 in right and left of males, 8.0 and 9.0 in right and left of females. Following the intervention, the agility t-test and Illinois test shows a 0.4 and 0.5 in males and 0.5 and 0.6 in females.

Conclusions The current study showed a statistically significant improvement in hamstring flexibility scores of agility test following PNF CRAC stretch.