NCT06648356

Effects of Combining PNF With NMES in Young Basketball Players

Short Term Effects of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Combined With Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation in Young Basketball Players: a Randomized Clinical Trial.

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 44 (actual)
• Sponsor: Cardenal Herrera University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: 11 Years – 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Hamstring muscle injuries are common in basketball and result in long periods of inactivity. This study aims to compare two different stretching programs to assess their effects on hamstring flexibility and, secondarily, on jumping ability in young basketball players. One program uses a special stretching technique called proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), while the other uses the same stretching but adds electrical stimulation (NMES).

Detailed description

Hamstring strains are increasingly common in sports, particularly in football and professional basketball, where they are the fourth most frequent injury. Stretching, especially when combined with techniques like proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), is a key method used to reduce the risk of these injuries. PNF, which involves alternating stretches with muscle contractions, is widely regarded for improving muscle flexibility. Recently, stretching combined with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has also shown promise for increasing flexibility. A variant of PNF called contract-relax PNF (crPNF) has been proposed, where NMES is applied during the contraction phase to further enhance flexibility gains. However, there are no studies on the short-term effects of crPNF and crPNF + NMES in young male basketball players, a group known for higher degrees of hamstring shortening. This study aims to compare the short-term effects of crPNF and crPNF + NMES on hamstring flexibility in young male basketball players and assess whether one technique is superior to the other. A secondary goal is to determine if either stretching protocol negatively impacts vertical jump ability, an important skill in basketball.

Conditions

• Hamstring Flexibility

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)	Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is applied during an isometric contraction. The NMES uses a symmetrical biphasic rectangular pulse (50Hz frequency and 300 µs phase width) delivered through an Enraf Nonius TensMed S82 electrostimulator. Two 5x9 cm electrodes are placed on the hamstrings, and participants adjust the current to a moderate-strong, yet painless, contraction level. During the intervention, one researcher maintains the stretch position while another researcher controls the current intensity and monitors the timing of both stretching and contractions.
OTHER	Contract-Relax PNF (crPNF)	The crPNF Group engages in an isolated contract-relax proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (crPNF) stretching protocol. Participants are positioned in a long sitting posture with maximum knee extension until they feel a moderate-strong stretch sensation, without pain. Each stretch lasts for 20 seconds, followed by a 5-second maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the hamstrings. Participants complete three cycles of stretch and contraction. One researcher maintains the stretch position while a second researcher controls the timing of the stretching and contractions.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-10-01
• Primary completion: 2024-10-22
• Completion: 2024-10-23
• First posted: 2024-10-18
• Last updated: 2024-10-30

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Spain