Comparison of Controlled Articular Rotations and Static Stretching on Hip Internal Rotation Range of Motion

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Limited hip internal rotation (IR) range of motion (ROM) is linked to various musculoskeletal issues, including increased injury risk and pain.
• Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs) and static stretching (SS) are popular methods for enhancing joint ROM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the acute effects of CARs and SS on hip IR ROM in young adults with restricted hip mobility.
• To determine the immediate and short-term effectiveness of these stretching techniques.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-eight young adults (21-26 years) with limited hip IR ROM were randomized into a CARs or SS group.
• Hip IR ROM was measured before, immediately after, and 15 minutes after the stretching intervention.
• A 2x3 repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyze the data.

Main Results:

• A significant main effect of time was observed, indicating overall ROM improvement (p<0.001).
• Both CARs and SS groups demonstrated significant increases in hip IR ROM from pre-intervention to post-intervention.
• No significant difference in ROM was found between immediate post-intervention and 15-minutes post-intervention measurements.

Conclusions:

• Both static stretching and Controlled Articular Rotations are effective interventions for acutely improving hip internal rotation ROM.
• These findings support the use of both stretching modalities for individuals experiencing hip mobility deficits.