Remote Effects of Lower Limb Stretching

Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02564081
• Other study ID #: SpM2015-001
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: September 29, 2015
• Last updated: February 1, 2016
• Start date: August 2015
• Est. completion date: December 2015

Study information

• Verified date: February 2016
• Source: Goethe University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Germany: Ethics Commission
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Recent research suggests that the skeletal muscles and the fibrous connective tissue form a body-wide network of myofascial chains. A systematic analysis of dissection studies suggests that fascia links at least a variety of muscles to myofascial chains (Wilke et al. 2015). As fascia can modify its stiffness, strain transmission along these meridians is supposable (Norton-Old et al. 2013). Tensile transmission along myofascial chains might contribute to the proper functioning of the movement system. However, despite solid evidence from in vitro studies, scarce data is available concerning the in vivo behavior of the meridians. The present study is conducted to resolve this research deficit and to elucidate whether stretching of the lower limb muscles increases neck mobility. Healthy subjects (n = 3 x 20) participate in the randomized controlled trial. One group performs three 30 s bouts of static stretching for the gastrocnemius and the hamstrings respectively. A control group remains inactive for the same time. Participants of the third group perform 6x30 s bouts of static stretching of the cervical spine in zhe sagittal plane (flexion only). Pre and post intervention as well as 5 min after the intervention, maximal cervical range of motion (ROM) in flexion/extension, lateral flexion and rotation was assessed using an ultrasonic movement analysis system.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 63
• Est. completion date: December 2015
• Est. primary completion date: November 2015
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years to 50 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy participants after subscribing informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• severe orthopedic, cardiovascular, neurological, psychiatric or endocrine diseases, not completely healed traumata, drug intake in the past 48 hours, pregnancy and presence of muscle soreness.

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Fascia
• Myofascial
• Randomized Controlled Trial
• Stretching

Intervention

Other:
• Static Stretching lower limb

• Static stretching Cervical

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Germany	Department of Sports Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt/Main	Frankfurt/Main	Hessen

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Goethe University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Germany, 

References & Publications (2)

Norton-Old KJ, Schache AG, Barker PJ, Clark RA, Harrison SM, Briggs CA. Anatomical and mechanical relationship between the proximal attachment of adductor longus and the distal rectus sheath. Clin Anat. 2013 May;26(4):522-30. doi: 10.1002/ca.22116. Epub 2012 Jun 14. — View Citation

Wilke J, Krause F, Vogt L, Banzer W. What Is Evidence-Based About Myofascial Chains: A Systematic Review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2016 Mar;97(3):454-61. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2015.07.023. Epub 2015 Aug 14. Review. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Maximal cervical range of motion in flexion/extension		2 min.	No
Secondary	Maximal cervical range of motion in lateral flexion		2 min.	No
Secondary	Maximal cervical range of motion in rotation		2 min.	No