Hamstring flexibility in young women following passive stretch and muscle energy technique

Background: Research is limited and controversial on the effectiveness of various stretching methods on muscle lengthening. Objective: Studying the effectiveness of static stretch and muscle energy technique on the flexibility of hamstring muscles. Methods: Thirty young females (20-25 yrs old) participated voluntarily in this study. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: static stretch group (controls; n = 15) and muscle energy technique (MET) group (experimental; n = 15). The control group underwent ten sessions of static stretches of hamstring muscle, and the experimental group was assigned to ten sessions of MET at 50% voluntary isometric contraction. Hamstring flexibility was evaluated by passive knee extension test at baseline and again following interventions. Results: Both treatment methods were capable of significantly improving the shortness of hamstring muscles (P < 0.01); and no considerable difference was observed between the methods. Conclusion: Ten sessions of hamstring stretches in normal young women using either static stretch or MET had similar effect on restoring flexibility to hamstrings.