Madeleine Smith, Gary Fryer
This study investigated two types of muscle energy techniques that differ primarily in the duration of the post-contraction stretch phase. Forty asymptomatic participants were randomly allocated to one of two either Group 1: MET with 30-s post-isometric stretch phase; or Group 2: MET with 3-s post-isometric stretch phase. Both techniques appeared to be equally effective in increasing hamstring extensibility, and there appeared to be sustained improvement 1 week following the initial treatment.
The findings suggest that altering the duration of the passive stretch component does not have a significant impact on the efficacy of MET for short-term increases in muscle extensibility.
Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 6 August 2008, online article ahead of publish