Modified Sciatic Nerve Mobility Exercises on Hamstring Tightness

November 6, 2024 updated by: Gulf Medical University

Effectiveness of Modified Sciatic Nerve Mobility Exercises on Hamstring Length in Collegiate Students With Hamstring Tightness - A Randomized Controlled Study.

This study included collegiate students with tight hamstring muscles aged between 18-23 recruited from the Gulf Medical University, Ajman, UAE to compare the effectiveness of modified sciatic nerve mobility exercises and dynamic hamstring muscle stretching (DHMS) on hamstring length in collegiate students with hamstring muscle tightness.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Hamstring Muscle Tightness is a common musculoskeletal condition that affects a significant proportion of the general population, particularly among collegiate students. Among the student population, sitting for longer periods during college hours is the primary cause of HMT. Evidence suggests that stretching with a combination of manual or instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization are effective in improving hamstring muscle flexibility among individuals with HMT. A meta-analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in knee extension ROM and straight leg raise test measures following neural mobilization treatment which support the effectiveness of neural mobilization treatment in enhancing hamstring flexibility compared to muscle inhibition and stretching techniques . Especially, neural glides and neural stretching designed to restore the overall balance in the nervous system and can increase hamstring muscle flexibility, making them valuable interventions for individuals with HMT. A study on hamstring muscle flexibility in relation leg rotation suggest that hamstring stretching is enhancing the leg rotation and hamstring lengthening. Thus, dynamic stretching targeting the nerves and muscles is warranted for the treatment of tight hamstring in the general population, especially among collegiate students. This evidence provides input for the modification of dynamic sciatic nerve stretching to improve the effects of therapeutic interventions that focus on neuromuscular flexibility, joint ROM, and pain relief. Further evidence also suggests that nerve-directed stretching is superior to muscle-directed stretching in improving hamstring tightness in healthy adults. However, the role of nerve-directed dynamic stretching with hip rotation has not been addressed by previous interventional studies. Therefore, This study compared the effects of modified sciatic-nerve mobility exercises over dynamic hamstring muscle stretching on improving the hamstring length in collegiate students with HMT to determine the most effective approach for managing this condition.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
94

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Collegiate students with hamstring muscle tightness.
  • Unilateral and/or bilateral hamstring muscle tightness.
  • Students from the Gulf Medical University.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of intervertebral disc lesions and radiculopathies,
  • Soft tissue injuries in the lower extremity.
  • Spine surgery, lower extremity neurological complications.
  • Students engaged in competitive sports.
  • Students engaged in other interventional studies.
  • Lower back pain from specific causes.
  • Pelvic inflammatory conditions.
  • Unwillingness to provide informed consent.
  • Nutritional deficiencies.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Group 1: MSNM
The participants in this group are treated with modified sciatic nerve mobilization.
Procedure: Modified sciatic nerve mobility exercises
Each participant was made to lie down in a supine position on the treatment couch. The participant's leg was moved to about 30-45 degrees hip flexion with knee extension. The ankle was then moved to maximum dorsiflexion with inversion and hip internal rotation within the participant's tolerance, and this position was maintained for 30 seconds. While the therapist performed dorsiflexion with inversion and hip internal rotation in the supported straight leg raise position, the participant was instructed to actively flex the cervical spine slowly until they perceived a tolerable stretch sensation in the hamstring muscle and lower leg. The synchronous alternating movements were performed rhythmically for 10-15 repetitions. This maneuver was repeated 3 times in a single session, 3 days per week, and continued for 3 consecutive weeks.
Active Comparator: Group 2: DHMS
The participants in this group are treated with dynamic hamstring muscle stretching.
Procedure: Dynamic hamstring muscle stretching
The participant was instructed to stand straight with the unaffected foot supported on the floor and the toes pointing forward. The heel of the testing leg was placed on an 18" high step with the toes directed upwards with knee extension. Once cued, the participant was asked to flex forward at the hip while maintaining the spine in a neutral position and reaching the arms forward. The knee joint remained fully extended as the participant continued to flex the hip until a gentle stretch was felt in the posterior thigh. Once the position was achieved, the participants were asked to hold it for 20-30 seconds. The same procedure was repeated 3 times daily, 3 days a week for three consecutive weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Passive Knee Extension (PKE) ROM test
Time Frame: Baseline, post-treatment day 1, end of week 1, and week 2
To measure the hamstring length using Passive Knee Extension (PKE) ROM test, the participant was in supine position on the plinth, the hip and knee of the lower limb to be tested kept at 90° flexion.
Baseline, post-treatment day 1, end of week 1, and week 2

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Gulf Medical University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Chair: Ramprasad Muthukrishnan, PhD, Gulf Medical University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 14, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 30, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 16, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 15, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 17, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 19, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 7, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 6, 2024

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IRB-COHS-STD-34-MAR-2023

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

The data may be provided based upon request related to research purpose

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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