Passive Static Stretching for Improving Hip Range of Motion in Patients and Healthy Individuals (HIP- STR)

March 22, 2026 updated by: Emanuele Novelli, Omicron beta research

Effects Of Passive Static Stretching On Hip Range Of Motion In Patients With Joint Pathologies And Healthy Individuals: A Pilot Study

This pilot study evaluates whether passive static stretching can improve hip movement in three groups: people who have had hip replacement surgery, individuals with long-term hip pain, and healthy volunteers. Participants will follow a 4-week stretching program, doing exercises three times per week under the supervision of a trained clinician. Hip range of motion will be measured before and after the program using accurate electronic sensors. The goal is to determine if passive static stretching is a safe and effective way to increase hip flexibility and support daily activities. The study involves no new medications or invasive procedures and is considered low risk.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

This pilot study investigates the effects of passive static stretching on hip range of motion (ROM) in three populations: patients who have undergone total hip arthroplasty (THA), individuals with chronic non-surgical hip pain, and healthy volunteers. A total of 12 participants will be enrolled, divided equally into three groups.

Participants will follow a four-week stretching program, performing assisted hip flexion and abduction exercises three times per week, with each stretch held for 30 seconds. All sessions are supervised by a trained kinesiologist to ensure proper alignment, submaximal intensity, and participant safety.

Hip ROM will be measured pre- and post-intervention using high-precision triaxial electronic sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes) under standardized conditions. The study will track changes in hip flexion and abduction, monitor for adverse events, and assess compliance.

The purpose is to explore whether passive static stretching is a safe, feasible, and effective method to enhance hip mobility across different populations, providing preliminary data for future larger studies.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

12

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

  • Italy
    • RM
      • Roma, RM, Italy, 00195
        • Osteopathy and Clinical Kinesiology Practice

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study included 12 adult participants (7 women, 5 men; mean age 52.5 ± 6.8 years) divided into three groups:

Group A: 4 patients who had undergone total hip arthroplasty (THA) Group B: 4 patients with chronic non-surgical hip pain Group C: 4 healthy individuals with no prior hip or joint pathology

Participants were selected based on their ability to safely perform passive hip stretching, absence of neurological or musculoskeletal comorbidities affecting motor control, and willingness to complete the 4-week intervention protocol. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults able to participate in a 4-week passive hip stretching protocol
  • No contraindications to passive hip stretching
  • No neurological or musculoskeletal comorbidities affecting motor control
  • Willingness and ability to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Presence of neurological or musculoskeletal conditions that impair hip movement or motor control
  • Contraindications to stretching (e.g., recent surgery not related to hip arthroplasty, acute injuries)
  • Inability or unwillingness to complete the full 4-week study protocol

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

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Hip Arthroplasty Patients
Patients who underwent hip arthroplasty. Intervention: passive static stretching to improve hip range of motion (ROM). Assessment of flexibility before and after stretching sessions.
Chronic Hip Pain Patients
Patients with chronic hip pain not due to arthroplasty. Intervention: passive static stretching to evaluate improvement in hip ROM. Pre- and post-intervention flexibility assessments performed.
Healthy Subjects
Healthy individuals without hip pathologies. Intervention: passive static stretching applied to hip joint. Flexibility measured before and after stretching sessions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Hip Range of Motion (Flexion and Abduction)
Time Frame: 4 weeks (pre- and post-intervention)
Hip ROM was measured using high-precision triaxial electronic sensors equipped with accelerometers and gyroscopes (Sensorize). Participants were assessed in standardized positions over the hip joint, with data sampled at 200 Hz to determine maximal flexion and abduction angles. Measurements were taken pre- and post-intervention across all groups.
4 weeks (pre- and post-intervention)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Omicron beta research

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Emanuele Novelli, MSc Kinesiology, Osteopath, OmicronBeta Research

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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)

November 3, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

November 28, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

December 3, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 22, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 22, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

March 27, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 27, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 22, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • HIP-STRETCH- 2025- 01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data will not be shared to protect participant privacy and confidentiality. Given the small sample size and sensitive nature of the measurements, sharing raw data could potentially allow identification of participants. Data will be used solely for the purposes of this study.

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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