Use the Back button in your browser to see the other results of your search or to select another record.

Detailed Search Results

The effect of duration of stretching of the hamstring muscle group for increasing range of motion in people aged 65 years or older
Feland JB, Myrer JW, Schulthies SS, Fellingham GW, Measom GW
Physical Therapy 2001 May;81(5):1110-1117
clinical trial
5/10 [Eligibility criteria: Yes; Random allocation: Yes; Concealed allocation: No; Baseline comparability: No; Blind subjects: No; Blind therapists: No; Blind assessors: Yes; Adequate follow-up: Yes; Intention-to-treat analysis: No; Between-group comparisons: Yes; Point estimates and variability: Yes. Note: Eligibility criteria item does not contribute to total score] *This score has been confirmed*

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stretching protocols for elderly people (>= 65 years of age) have not been studied to determine the effectiveness of increasing range of motion (ROM). The purpose of this study was to determine which of 3 durations of stretches would produce and maintain the greatest gains in knee extension ROM with the femur held at 90 degrees of hip flexion in a group of elderly individuals. SUBJECTS: Sixty-two subjects (mean age 84.7 years, SD 5.6, range 65 to 97) with tight hamstring muscles (defined as the inability to extend the knee to less than 20 degrees of knee flexion) participated. Subjects were recruited from a retirement housing complex and were independent in activities of daily living. METHODS: Subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups and completed a physical activity questionnaire. The subjects in group 1 (n = 13, mean age 85.1 years, SD 6.4, range 70 to 97), a control group, performed no stretching. The randomly selected right or left limb of subjects in group 2 (n = 17, mean age 85.5 years, SD 4.5, range 80 to 93), group 3 (n = 15, mean age 85.2 years, SD 6.5, range 65 to 92), and group 4 (n = 17, mean age 83.2 years, SD 4.6, range 68 to 90) was stretched 5 times per week for 6 weeks for 15, 30, and 60 seconds, respectively. Range of motion was measured once a week for 10 weeks to determine the treatment and residual effects. Data were analyzed using a growth curve model. RESULTS: A 60-second stretch produced a greater rate of gains in ROM (60-second stretch 2.4 degrees per week, 30-second stretch 1.3 degrees per week, 15-second stretch 0.6 degrees per week), which persisted longer than the gains in any other group (group 4 still had 5.4 degrees more ROM 4 weeks after treatment than at pretest as compared with 0.7 degrees and 0.8 degrees for groups 2 and 3, respectively). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Longer hold times during stretching of the hamstring muscles resulted in a greater rate of gains in ROM and a more sustained increase in ROM in elderly subjects. These results may differ from those of studies performed with younger populations because of age-related physiologic changes.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help