Effectiveness of massage on flexibility of hamstring muscle and agility of female players: An experimental randomized...

This study aimeded to examine acute and late effects of five consecutive sessions of Swedish massage on hamstring flexibility and agility of players.

Arandom sample of 34 female players having bilateral tight hamstrings [passive straight leg raise ≤70° and active knee extension test ≥ 30°] was randomly allocated to two equal groups. Study design involved 7 minute massage given on each posterior thigh for 5 continuous days; followed by 5 days of no massage. Experimental group received classical Swedish massage whereas control group received only superficial stroking. Outcome measures were Passive straight leg raise [PSLR], Active knee extension test [AKET], Passive knee extension test [PKET], Back saver sit and reach test [BSSR] for flexibility and 5-0-5 change of direction test for agility measured pre and post intervention on each days of massage and also on 10th day. Two way ANOVA with post hoc t-test was the tool of statistical analysis with significance level 0.05.

Significant [p ≤ 0.05] post intervention increase in all parameters of flexibility was observed each day in experimental group within PSLR (8%-12% ↑), AKET (10%24% ↓) and PKET (12%-30% ↓) and highly significant (p ≤ 0.001) increase on 5th and 10th day in BSSR (4%-21% ↑) for both legs. Pre and post intervention values for control group were not significantly different. No significant changes were observed in agility performance of both groups.

Swedish massage of posterior thigh appears to acutely increase flexibility of hamstrings in female athletes, which persisted for 5 days even after cessation of massage.