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SHORT TERM COMPARISON OF HAMSTRING FLEXIBILITY AFTER STATIC STRETCHING COMPARED TO A MASSAGE GUN TREATMENT

Abstract

Mackenzie R. Anderson, Morgan Davidson, Annabell Bailliez, Zahra Asif, John Fox, Sarah Hayden. Methodist University, Fayetteville, NC.

BACKGROUND: Massage guns have gained popularity in the athletic, clinical, and general population to increase flexibility of muscles, but there is little to no research to support that massage guns can improve muscle flexibility. The purpose of this study is to assess the short- term effects of static stretching technique vs. BodyBay Percussion Massage Gun therapy on hamstring flexibility of young healthy adults. METHODS: A sample of 26 participants (age 27.38 +/- 6.58) were randomly divided into two groups. One group received the static stretching intervention and the other group received the massage gun intervention. Active range of motion (AROM) was then taken for every participant prior to any intervention (PRE). Next the participants were guided through a dynamic warm up where AROM was measured (DYN). Finally, each participant received their assigned intervention and a final set of AROM was measured (INT). Range of motion was assessed using a goniometer. RESULTS: The results of this study were calculated using 2 (groups) x 3 (time) mixed ANOVA. There was a main effect for time (F=46.6694, p=<0.001) but not group. Pairwise comparisons showed that flexibility increased over time in the static stretching group with the greatest AROM seen after INT compared to DYN (p< 0.001) and PRE (p < 0.001). AROM was also greater after DYN compared to PRE (p < 0.001) in the static stretching group. Flexibility also increased over time with the massage group. The greatest AROM was measured after INT. This was significantly greater than PRE (p<0.001), but not DYN (.5422). AROM after DYN was significantly greater than PRE (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: We hypothesized that BodyBay Percussion Massage Gun would be more effective in increasing short term hamstring flexibility than static stretching. After analysis of the results, there is no statistical significance between the individual intervention groups, however, both groups show a positive increase between initial and final measurements of AROM, respectively. In conclusion, static stretching, and massage gun therapy both improve short term hamstring flexibility.

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