Assessing muscle energy technique and foam roller self-myofascial release for low back pain management in two-wheeler riders

Pain in the lower back is a major concern in today's era due to prolonged sitting in two-wheeler riders, mainly due to hamstring tightness. It also creates physical disability and impairment in activities of daily living. The study aimed to compare the efficacy of muscle energy technique (MET) and self-myofascial release (SMFR) using the foam roller on hamstring flexibility, dynamic balance, and physical disability amongst two-wheeler riders with chronic low back pain (LBP). Participants were randomized into two intervention groups, MET and SMFR using the envelope method, with each group having 20 participants. Hamstring flexibility and range of motion for knee extension and the lower back were assessed using the active knee extension test (AKE-L and AKE-R) and sit and reach test (SRT), while the dynamic balance was assessed by the star excursion balance test (SEBT) and physical disability by Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, (RMDQ). Measurements were taken at baseline and after 4 weeks of intervention. This study demonstrated that both SMFR using a foam roller and MET are effective in enhancing hamstring muscle flexibility, (SRT-F(1, 38) = 299.5, p < 0.001; AKE-R-F(1, 38) = 99.53, p < 0.001; AKE-L-F(1, 38) = 89.67, p < 0.001). Additionally, these techniques significantly improved dynamic balance in various directions, including anterior (ANT), anteromedial (AMED), medial (MED), posteromedial (PMED), posterior (POST), posterolateral (PLAT), lateral (LAT), and anterolateral (ALAT) directions (p < 0.01). Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in physical disability (RMDQ-F(1, 38) = 1307, p < 0.001), among two-wheeler riders suffering from chronic LBP. Compared to MET, SMFR using foam rollers was found to be more effective in enhancing hamstring flexibility, improving balance, and decreasing disability level on the RMDQ after 4 weeks.

Interrelation between physical activity and hamstring flexibility among university students

In recent time, the specialists in the field of physical education and health protection have no consensus on the need to include stretching exercises as an obligatory type of physical activity for apparently healthy young people. The problem is that most university students tend to have sedentary lifestyle. According to some reports, this can negatively affect the flexibility of the hamstrings and, as a result, lead to a decrease in physical performance. To maintain and develop flexibility, special stretching techniques are traditionally used, which caused the point about the necessity to include them in weekly physical activity. The opposite position is that flexibility is perfectly developed and maintained through the performance of healthier types of physical activity. In this case, the flexibility of the hamstrings should be correlated with the amount of physical activity. The aim of the research was to study the relationship between the amount of physical activity of students and the flexibility of the hamstrings. To achieve this aim, a correlation study was conducted. The results of the study showed that there is a noticeable significant correlation between the total value of physical activity of students and the flexibility of the hamstrings. This, in turn, is an additional reinforcement of the position that there is no strict need to include stretching as an obligatory component of the physical activity of university students to maintain and develop the flexibility of the hamstrings.