The Effects of Hamstrings’ Cooling and Cryostretching on Sit and Reach Flexibility Test Performance in Healthy Young Adults

Aims: To investigate the effect of hamstrings’ cooling and short-duration Cryostretching on sit and reach flexibility test (SR) performance.
Study Design: Crossover Randomized Clinical Trial.
Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Physical Therapy, Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Western Greece, Aigio Achaias, Greece, 3 months.
Methodology: Eighteen (18) healthy male (age: 21,3±4,5 yr, weight: 79,0±12,7 Kg, body fat: 14,6±4,0%) participated in the present study. Subjects were randomly divided into 3 groups which received in a random and counterbalanced order: a) hamstrings’ cooling with cold packs for 15 minutes, b) hamstrings’ cooling and static stretching for 14 minutes and 1 minute (30’’ for each extremity), respectively and c) passive rest (control status) for 15 minutes, on three visits made. Sit and Reach (SR) test, was applied before and after each intervention to assess the hamstrings’ flexibility.

Results: Baseline Sit-and Reach results (SR 1) did not differ significantly between all 3 conditions (Cooling vsControl: 13,6±5,8 cm vs 13,8±7,1 cm P = 0,817; Cryostretching vs Control: 13,4±6,3 cm vs 13,8±7,1 cm P=0,620; Cooling vs Cryostretching: 13,6±5,8 vs 13,4±6,3 cm P=0,817). A significant improvement of hamstrings’ flexibility in SR2, was observed after hamstrings’ cooling intervention compared to corresponding values of Control (14,5±6,1 cm vs 13,2±7,0 cm P=0,026) and after cryostretching intervention compared to corresponding values of Control (14,9 ± 6,6 cm vs 13,2±7,0 cm, P=0,011). Flexibility values of hamstrings’ cooling alone compared with those after hamstrings’ cooling associated with a short bout of cryostretching (in SR 2), did not differ significantly (14,5±6,1 cm vs 14,9±6,6 cm, P= 0,502).

Conclusion: Hamstrings’ cooling and cryostretching can improve performance in SR test and thus can be used as alternative methods for increasing the hamstrings’ flexibility in short term.