Immediate Effect of Mulligan Bent Leg Raise Technique on Hamstrings Flexibility in Young Individuals with Chronic Low Back Pain

Tight hamstrings can lead to injury which can be frustrating because of pain, healing can be slow, and the incidence of reinjures is high.

To evaluate the immediate effects of Mulligan bent leg raise (BLR) technique on hamstring flexibility in healthy subjects.

A cross-over study was conducted on a sample of 30 male and female aged 20–30 years with mechanical low backache and hamstring tightness, by criteria of Active knee extension range< 20degrees. Subjects having low backache with radiculopathy, prolapsed intervertebral disc were excluded. On day 1- Group A was given BLR technique first and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation stretching Contract-Relax (CR) method was given to Group B. The next day Group A was given Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation stretching Contract-Relax method first and BLR technique was given to Group B. Hamstring Flexibility was measured as Active Knee Extension Range of motion using goniometer and Visual Analogue Scale was used for pain intensity.

Mean(±SD) 49.833(±9.428) for Pre ROM and that of Post ROM for BLR is 39.0667(±9.179), CR is 43.133(±9.073). Paired t- test was applied for pre and post ROM. Independent samples t-test was applied to analyze ROM between the groups given BLR and CR technique. There was significant difference between pre and post ROM (p<0.01) in both the groups and between the groups.

There is a significant immediate effect of BLR technique.