Flexibility is an integral part of optimal musculoskeletal characteristics. The tightness of hamstring muscles is one of the main factors hindering performance in daily activities. Reduction in the flexibility of the hamstrings has been reported to increase the risk of damage to the musculoskeletal system. The flexibility of the hamstring is important for general health and physical fitness. The hamstring muscle is found to be the most prevalent for the tightness in the body. The tightness of these muscles produces decrease range of motion and reduced flexibility of the pelvis, hip, and knee joints. Reduced hamstring muscle flexibility has been implicated in lumbar spine dysfunction and showing a strong positive correlation between decreased hamstring flexibility and low back pain. Hamstring flexibility plays an important role in lower extremity injury. A hamstring is a group of muscles including semitendinosus, semimembranosus, biceps femoris, and its functions as a flexor of knee ...

Background: Stretching exercises have been routinely used in persons with hamstring tightness and athletes to increase flexibility of muscle and to reduce joint injuries. Many studies have reported effect of static and dynamic stretching on flexibility of this muscle. Finding the best method to improve flexibility of hamstring muscle is important for athletes and individuals to reduce their injuries. Objective of the study was to find out the effect of static stretching exercise and dynamic stretching exercise on flexibility of hamstring muscle and also to compare the effect of static and dynamic stretching exercise on flexibility of hamstring muscle. Methods: This was a comparative experimental study with seventy four female healthy subjects from physiotherapy department of KPJ Healthcare University College, Malaysia. Convenient sampling method used to select the samples. The subjects were selected by inclusion criteria and randomly divided equally in to two with 37 subjects in each group. Static stretching exercise and dynamic stretching exercise were given as intervention program for four weeks respectively for experimental and control group. Pre and post data of restricted range of movement for knee extension was measured using goniometry and documented separately for both group. Result: In experimental and control group, pre-post statistical analysis found significant effect in increase of hamstring flexibility with P<0.0001, for right and left side. Comparative study between experimental and control group found that static stretching exercise have significant effect in increase of hamstring flexibility for right and left side with P<0.04. Conclusion: This study concluded that static stretching exercise is more effective to improve hamstring flexibility compared to dynamic stretching exercise.

Introduction: A normal flexibility is required for an appropriate posture and entire activity in daily life. Hamstring is the muscle that is more prone for tightness. It present in all age groups and it increases with age and more over it is the muscle that is most prone to injuries during sporting activities. With regard to various methods that contribute to increasing flexibility of hamstring muscles, the current study aimed at investigating immediate effects of static stretching and dynamic range of motion training on hamstring flexibility increasing muscle flexibility. Methodology: 30 patients, age range 21-50 years, diagnosed with the Population who had hamstring tightness and divided equally into two groups-Group A and Group B. In Group B-Static Stretch exercise and in Group A-Dynamic Range of Motion Training exercise. Result: Pre and post evaluation of active knee extension test was taken. Result shows that there was significant improvement noted in both the groups (GROUP A: P value .000, t value:-17.9) and (GROUP B: P value: .000, t value:-17.6) Conclusion: Both the static stretch and dynamic exercise can be considered as an effective method for increasing flexibility and improving functions with hamstring tightness patients.

Flexibility is essential in sports related fitness as well as in daily life. Tight hamstring muscles increase the risk of injury and affect the sports performance among young athletes. Various manual therapy approaches has been studied for reducing muscle tightness. Previous available literature showed the effectiveness of muscle energy technique for increasing muscle flexibility. Variations of MET were suggested by number of authors, but very less literature is available regarding their efficacy over other. Therefore, current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of two approaches of MET-Pulsed and Isolytic technique on hamstrings flexibility in young healthy female which differed in the type of muscle contraction used. A double blinded, prospective, randomized controlled trial was carried out after taking approval from institutional ethical committee. 39 females of 18-24 years, with bilateral hamstrings tightness were included and allocated to two groups randomly. The written informed consent was sought. Participants in Group 1 and 2 were treated with Pulsed and Isolytic MET for Hamstring muscle respectively. Active knee extension test and Hamstring contracture test were assessed at pre and post intervention. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS v.20 software and level of significance was set at 0.05 at 95 % CI. Both the interventional groups showed improvement in hamstrings flexibility immediately after the intervention (pre-post analysis-p-value <0.05). However, in between group comparison showed non-significant difference post intervention (p value >0.05). Both the muscle energy techniques were found to be equally effective in improving hamstrings flexibility immediately after the intervention.

Previous studies have investigated the efficacy of stretching exercises and eccentric training in hamstring flexibility. The objective of this study was to comparatively investigate the efficacy of eccentric training and static stretching in flexibility gain, using a different eccentric ...

Background: Hamstring injuries are common in activities of daily living and sports. Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) is an eccentric training of the hamstrings which can both lower the risk of hamstring strain and improve muscle performance. Fitness parameters like, muscle flexibility, strength and endurance are important for injury prevention. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate effect of Nordic Hamstring Exercise (NHE) in improving Hamstring muscle flexibility, strength and endurance among young adults. Methodology: Forty subjects were recruited for the study through purposive sampling based on inclusion criteria. Participants were allocated to two groups, experimental group (females= 15, males= 5) and control group (females=15, males=5) randomly. Pre test analysis was conducted for both groups for Hamstring muscle flexibility using sit and reach test, strength with Modified Sphygmomanometer Test (MST) and endurance with Sit to stand test. Experimental group received NHE in addition to conventional exercise whereas; control group received conventional exercise for 5 weeks. Immediate post test analysis was conducted. Student"s "t" test was used for statistical analysis. Results: There was a significant difference in flexibility (t=4.20), strength right side (t=3.54), strength left side (t=3.48) and endurance (t=4.41) between the control and experimental group with level of significance p≤0.05. Conclusion: This study revealed significant improvement in Hamstring muscle flexibility, strength, and endurance after 5 weeks of Nordic Hamstring Exercise training.