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

Range of motion (ROM) deficits of the hip can contribute to many musculoskeletal dysfunctions throughout the body. Specifically, lack of hip internal rotation (IR) ROM has been correlated with increased likelihood of anterior cruciate ligament injury, fall risk, low back pain, and upper extremity injury. Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs), a form of dynamic stretching, has gained popularity as a treatment strategy for improving joint ROM. The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effects of the CARs protocol and static stretching (SS) on hip IR ROM in a young adult population with limited hip mobility. Twenty-eight young adults (13 M; 15 F) aged 21-26 years completed the study. Exclusion criteria included hip IR passive ROM (PROM) >35 degrees or history of hip pathology/surgery. Participants were randomized into a CARs group or SS group. Hip IR ROM was measured prior to the performance of the stretching program, immediately post-intervention, and 15-minutes post-intervention. A 2x3 repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant group x time interaction (p=0.193) and no significant main effect of group (p=0.536). However, there was a significant main effect of time (p<0.001). Post-hoc comparisons showed significant increases in ROM from pre- to immediate post-intervention (p<0.001) and from pre- to 15-minutes post-intervention(p<0.001), with no significant difference between immediate post- and 15-minutes post-intervention (p=1.00). These results support the use of both SS and CARs as effective interventions to improve hip IR ROM.