The acute effects of hamstring stretching and vibration on dynamic knee joint range of motion and jump performance

Cronin, John; Nash, Michelle; Whatman, Chris

doi:10.1016/j.ptsp.2008.01.003

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Volume 9, Issue 2 , Pages 89-96, May 2008

The acute effects of hamstring stretching and vibration on dynamic knee joint range of motion and jump performance

John Cronin
- School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 100 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, Western Australia 6027, Australia
- Institute of Sport and Recreation Research New Zealand, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1020, New Zealand
Michelle Nash
- Institute of Sport and Recreation Research New Zealand, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1020, New Zealand
Chris Whatman
- Institute of Sport and Recreation Research New Zealand, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1020, New Zealand
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +6499219999; fax: +6499219960.

Received 13 April 2007; received in revised form 28 November 2007; accepted 22 January 2008.

Abstract

Objectives

To investigate dynamic knee joint range of motion (ROM) and jump performance following a single bout of passive hamstring stretching, hamstring vibration or a combination of both.

Design

Knee joint dynamic ROM and jump performance were assessed prior to, immediately following and 10min following stretching and vibration of the hamstring muscles. The study was a crossover design with all participants completing three interventions: (1) 3×30s static stretches of the hamstring muscles, (2) 3×30s bouts of vibration applied to the hamstring muscles, (3) a combination of the stretching and vibration protocols.

Setting

The study was conducted in the muscle performance laboratory of Auckland University of Technology.

Participants

Ten male participants (mean±SD, age 22.7±3.6yr, height 181.2±6.51cm, mass 84.9±12.3kg) with no musculoskeletal problems volunteered to participate in this study.

Main outcome measures

Dynamic knee joint ROM and jump height.

Results

The only increase in dynamic knee joint ROM was between the pre and immediate post assessments in the stretching intervention (mean change 3° or 2%, ES=0.4, p=0.011). There was no statistically significant interaction between intervention and time for any of the jump performance assessments.

Conclusions

A single bout of stretching produced a small, short-lived change in dynamic knee joint ROM but did not change jump performance. The addition of vibration alone or in combination with stretching did not influence dynamic knee joint ROM or jump performance.

Keywords: Range of motion, Stretch, Vibration, Performance