Combination of Two Osteopathic Techniques for the Hamstring's Stretching Capacity in Basketball Female Players

Effect of the Muscular Energy Technique With the 4th Ventricle Technique on the Range of Motion of the Hamstring Muscles in Female Basketball Players: RCT

It is known that there are studies that prove the effectiveness of muscle energy techniques and the fourth ventricle technique separately, however, information is scarce regarding the combination of the two and their effectiveness in the population. The aim of this randomized controlled study is to compare the immediate effects of the techniques compared to the muscle energy technique alone in female basketball players.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Simulated technique; Other: Muscle energy technique; Other: 4th ventricle technique and muscular energy technique

Detailed Description

The muscular energy technique (MET) is a manual therapy technique that uses isometric contractions with the aim of increasing the extensibility of the muscle group, as well as promoting lymphatic and venous circulation. The fourth ventricle technique (CV-four) plays an amplifying role in the movement of tissues and fluids, restoring the flexibility of the autonomous response. For the MET, the researcher adopted a position homolateral to the dominant limb, contacting the lower limb with the caudal hand in the region of the malleoli. He then helped the participant to perform the movement, which consisted of flexion of the hip and extension of the knee passively until the motor barrier was reached, after which she was instructed to perform an isometric contraction of the hamstring. A total of three contractions of seven seconds with an interval of two to three seconds were requested, using approximately twenty per cent of their maximum force, and gaining a new motor barrier between each series, for a total of three series. For the CV-four technique, the researcher adopted a seated position and laterally contacted the scaly portion of the occiput, bringing it closer to the posterior convexity of the occiput, bringing the skull into extension, changing the compression movement with decompression, until three minutes had elapsed. At all stages of the session, the participant was positioned in the supine position, with the upper limbs alongside the body and the neck in a neutral position. All the participants in the study underwent an initial and final assessment protocol to determine their range of motion (ROM).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 34
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Natália MO Campelo, PhD; Phone Number: +35122 206 1000; Email: nmc@ess.ipp.pt

Study Locations

• Portugal
  • Porto, Portugal, 4200-072
    • Escola Superior de Saúde do Porto
    • Principal Investigator: Natália MO Campelo
    • Contact: Natália Campelo; Phone Number: +35122 206 1000; Email: nmc@ess.ipp.pt

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Over 18 years old
• Female
• Playing federated basketball
• Signature of informed consent documents

Exclusion Criteria:

• Surgical intervention/trauma in the areas of activity (cervical-cranial and lower limb)
• Exposure to medicinal therapy
• Participants with hypertension
• Participants at risk of cerebral hemorrhage (e.g. aneurysm)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Control Group; After completing an individual questionnaire and giving informed consent, a placebo technique was performed, consisting only of contact in the area of the participant's shoulders.	Other: Simulated technique; The participant was in a supine position, with her upper limbs at her sides and her neck in a neutral position. The researcher sat in a cephalic position, making contact with the participant's shoulders, without any movement, until 5 minutes had elapsed.
Experimental: Experimental group MET; After completing an individual questionnaire and giving informed consent, the muscle energy technique was performed on the dominant hamstring muscle.	Other: Muscle energy technique; The participant was in a supine position, with her upper limbs alongside her body and her neck in a neutral position. The researcher adopted a position homolateral to the dominant limb, contacting the lower limb with the caudal hand in the region of the malleoli. He then helped the participant to perform the movement, which consisted of flexing the hip and extending the knee passively until the motor barrier was reached, and instructed her to perform an isometric contraction of the hamstrings. She was asked to perform three 7-second contractions with a 2 to 3-second interval, using approximately 20% of her maximum strength, gaining a new motor barrier between each set, for a total of three sets.
Experimental: Experimental group CV-4 and MET; After completing an individual questionnaire and giving informed consent, the 4th ventricle technique (CV-4) was performed, followed by the muscle energy technique on the dominant hamstring muscle.	Other: 4th ventricle technique and muscular energy technique; The participant was in a supine position, with her upper limbs alongside her body and her neck in a neutral position. For CV-4, the researcher contacted the squamous portion of the occiput laterally, bringing it close to the posterior convexity of the occiput, bringing the skull into extension, changing the compression movement with decompression, until 3 minutes had elapsed. For the MET, the researcher adopted a position homolateral to the dominant limb, contacting the lower limb with the caudal hand in the region of the malleoli. She then helped the participant to perform the movement, which consisted of flexing the hip and extending the knee passively to the motor barrier, having been instructed to perform an isometric contraction of the hamstring. A total of 3 7-second contractions with a 2-3 second interval were requested, using approximately 20% of her maximum strength, and with a new motor barrier being gained between each series, for a total of 3 series.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Altered range of motion of the hamstring muscles.	The universal goniometer is a tool used to assess joint ROM.	10 minutes after intervention.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Natália Maria Oliveira Campelo
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Natália MO Campelo, PhD, Escola Superior de Saúde do Politecnico do Porto

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Smith M, Fryer G. A comparison of two muscle energy techniques for increasing flexibility of the hamstring muscle group. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2008 Oct;12(4):312-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2008.06.011. Epub 2008 Aug 6.
• Jakel A, von Hauenschild P. Therapeutic effects of cranial osteopathic manipulative medicine: a systematic review. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2011 Dec;111(12):685-93.
• Balasubramaniam, A., Gandhi V, M., Purushothaman, V. K. (2022). Myofascial Release Theraphy versus Muscle Energy Technique on Hamstring Flexibility in Physical Inactive students - A randomized controlled trial. Universal Journal of Public Health, 299-303.
• Barroso, G. C., & Thiele, E. S. (2011, Junho 28). Lesão Muscular nos Atletas.
• Bonorino, D. S. (2017). Efeitos da técnica CV-4 para o tratamento da enxaqueca.
• Chaitow, L. (2013). Muscle Energy Techniques.
• Chaitow, L. (2023). Muscle Energy Techniques (Fifth Edition ed.). Elsevier.
• DeLucia, R. (2016). Farmacologia Integrada: Uso Racional de Medicamentos.
• DeStefano, L. (2011). Principales of Manual Medicine. Wolters Kluwer.
• E. de Gray, L., & Seth, B. (2020). Drugs used to treat joint and muscle disease.
• Favareto, R. M. (2019). Influência da manipulação osteopática craniana, sobre o sistema nervoso autônomo mensurado pela neurometria funcional em pacientes com fibromialgia. Revista Científica de Neurometria, 5.
• Fryer, G., Fleischmann, M., & Vaughan, B. (2021). Use of muscle energy technique amongst a nationally representative sample of Australian Osteopaths. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 5.
• Kang YH, Ha WB, Geum JH, Woo H, Han YH, Park SH, Lee JH. Effect of Muscle Energy Technique on Hamstring Flexibility: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Apr 11;11(8):1089. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11081089.
• Laurino, C., Murer, F., & Iglesias, R. (2018, Julho 19). Tratamento cirurgico das lesões dos músculos isquiotibiais da coxa.
• Liem, T. (2004). Cranial Osteopathy: principles and practice. Elsevier.
• Nicholas, A. N. (2016). Atlas of Osteopathic Techniques (3 ed.). Wolters Kluwer Editora.
• Parsons, J., & Marcer, N. (2008). Osteopathy: Models for Diagnosis, Treatment and Practice. Elsevier.
• Ricard, F., & Sallé, J.-L. (2010). Tratado de Osteopatía.
• Upledger, J. E., & Vredevoogd, J. D. (1983). Craniosacral therapy (Vol. 236). Seattle: Eastland press.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): September 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 5, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 5, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): April 10, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): April 30, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 26, 2024
• Last Verified: April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Range of motion; Muscle energy technique; Hamstring Muscles; Fourth ventricle technique
• Other Study ID Numbers: OST1_015

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No