THE ACUTE EFFECT OF PROPRIOCEPTIVE NEUROMUSCULAR FACILITATION ON CERVICAL RANGE OF MOTION, STRENGTH, AND PROPRIOCEPTION

Abstract

Purpose: This double-blind randomized controlled study aimed to investigate the acute influence of two different proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) exercise, targeting stretching and strengthening, on cervical proprioception, range of motion (ROM) and strength among healthy university students. Methods: Healthy subjects were randomly divided into three groups as PNF stretching (PNFS) (n=36), resistive PNF pattern (PNFP) (n=35), and control group (CG) (n=33) which received only passive range of motion (ROM) exercises without causing any stretch. All participants were assessed in terms of cervical proprioception, ROM and muscle strength before and after one intervention session. Results: Within-group analysis of the PNFS group showed a significant difference only in extension proprioception and right rotation ROM (p≤0.05) while the PNFP group showed a significant difference in extension, right rotation, right and left lateral flexion proprioception; extension and right rotation ROM, and right and left rotation muscle strength (p≤0.05). For the CG, the within-group analysis showed a significant difference in flexion, extension, right rotation and right lateral flexion proprioception, extension, and left and right lateral flexion ROM (p≤0.05). Between-group analysis showed a significant difference only in cervical flexion proprioception (p=0.023) for PNFP over the CG. Conclusion: Although a lack of significant difference found in the between-group analysis, the within-group analysis showed that PNF patterns applied with resistance may be a promising technique to improve cervical proprioception, muscle strength and ROM.

Keywords

• Cervical Spine
• Proprioception
• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
• Range of Motion
• Strength

PROPRİOSEPTİF NÖROMUSKÜLER FASİLİTASYONUN SERVİKAL EKLEM HAREKET AÇIKLIĞI, KUVVET VE PROPRİYOSEPSİYON ÜZERİNE AKUT ETKİSİ

Öz

Amaç: Bu randomize kontrollü çift kör çalışmada, sağlıklı üniversite öğrencilerinde uygulanan, germe ve güçlendirmeyi hedefleyen iki farklı propriyoseptif nöromüsküler fasilitasyon (PNF) egzersizinin servikal propriyosepsiyon, eklem hareket açıklığı (EHA) ve kas kuvveti üzerindeki akut etkisinin araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Sağlıklı denekler rastgele olarak PNF germe (PNFG) (n=36), dirençli PNF paterni (PNFP) (n=35), ve herhangi bir gerilmeye neden olmadan sadece pasif EHA egzersizleri uygulanan kontrol grubu (KG) (n=33) olmak üzere üç gruba ayrıldı. Tüm katılımcılar bir müdahale seansından önce ve sonra servikal propriyosepsiyon, EHA ve kas gücü açısından değerlendirildi. Sonuçlar: PNFS grubu sadece ekstansiyon propriyosepsiyonu ve sağ rotasyon EHA’sında anlamlı bir fark gösterirken (p≤0,05), PNFP grubunun grup içi analizi ekstansiyon, sağ rotasyon, sağ ve sol lateral fleksiyon propriyosepsiyonu; ekstansiyon ve sağ rotasyon EHA’sı ile sağ ve sol rotasyon kas kuvveti açısından anlamlı bir fark gösterdi (p≤0,05). KG için, grup içi analizde fleksiyon, ekstansiyon, sağ rotasyon ve sağ lateral fleksiyon propriyosepsiyonu ile ekstansiyon ve sol ve sağ lateral fleksiyon EHA’sında anlamlı bir fark bulundu (p≤0,05). Gruplar arası analizde ise yalnızca PNFP grubu KG'ye göre servikal fleksiyon propriosepsiyonunda anlamlı bir fark gösterdi (p=0,023). Tartışma: Gruplararası karşılaştırmada anlamlı fark bulunamamış olsa da, yapılan grup içi değerlendirmeler dirençle uygulanan PNF paternlerinin servikal propriyosepsiyon, kas gücü ve ROM'u iyileştirmek için umut verici bir teknik olabileceğini göstermiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Servikal Omurga
• Propriosepsiyon
• Proprioseptif Nöromusküler Fasilitasyon
• Eklem Hareket Açıklığı
• Kuvvet

Kaynakça

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