View clinical trials related to Flexibility.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the effects of three Exercise Movement Techniques Global Postural Reeducation(RPG), Pilates method and Segmented Dynamic Exercises (SDE) regarding muscular strength and endurance of the trunk, spine mobility and flexibility of the posterior muscle chain.
Background: Nowadays, a commonly used sport that helps enhancing physical fitness components, including flexibility, is Capoeira. This modality is defined as an athletic sport composed by an individual attack and defensive system, which was originally created in colonial Brazil. Capoeira is characterized by its main movement, the "ginga", and by other several dodging, unbalancing, traumatizing and acrobatic movements. The literature empirically discusses that Capoeira contributes in general physical fitness by modulating several variables of human movement. Among these variables it is possible to highlight the influence of Capoeira in the amplitude of movement of the practitioner's joints. However, no study with a control group has investigated the alterations in flexibility of beginners using an experimental protocol based exclusively in basic techniques of Capoeira, without applying any usual stretching exercises that are commonly used, independently of the specificity of the sport. Objective: To analyze the effects of eight weeks of basic training in Capoeira on the flexibility of beginners in the sport. Methods: Twenty-one individuals, divided in two groups [Capoeira, n=13; 26.1±7.2 years; 22.7±2.7 kg.m2(-1) and Control, n=8; 27.1±0.5 years; 24.3±3.3 kg.m2(-1)] participated in the study. The Capoeira group performed eight weeks of basic training (two sessions per week lasting 60 minutes each). The experimental protocol used was exclusively based in basic techniques of a programmed Capoeira training system. Before and after the intervention measurements were performed aiming to analyze: trunk flexion flexibility, through a sit-and-reach test using a Wells' Bench (WBtf); and passive tension (PThf) and maximum amplitude of hip flexion (MAhf) through goniometry. The hypothesis of this study is that the group Capoeira (beginners) will increase the linear and angular flexibility after eight weeks of basic training in the sport.
Based on their preliminary quantitative gait findings suggesting that limited passive hip extension range is a key functionally limiting impairment affecting gait, the investigators propose a supervised, specific stretching exercise with the aim to improve both peak hip extension and overall gait performance. While one goal is to demonstrate that reduced peak passive hip extension is a key, functionally significant, but reversible, impairment another is to improve our understanding of the relationship between impairment, functional limitation and gait ability.