Effectiveness of muscle energy techniques and friction massage in hamstring tightness amongst young athletes of Pakistan

Background: compromised hamstring flexibility is a risk factor to sports-related injuries, as muscular tightness is believed to reduce athletic performance. Different muscle energy techniques and friction massage are commonly practiced by manual therapists to improve hamstring flexibility. Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of muscle energy technique and friction massage in hamstring tightness among young athletes in Pakistan Methodology: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at Helping Hand Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences (HHIRS), Mansehra, and Neurological Orthopaedic and Sports Injury Services Mansehra (NOSIS). A total of n=60 young athletes between 18-25 years with hamstring tightness and limited straight leg raise range of motion (<110⁰) were included in the study. The non-probability purposive sampling was used for data collection then the participants were randomly divided into Group A (n=20) received Post facilitation stretch (PFS), group B (n=20) received post-isometric relaxation (PIR), and Group C (n=20) which received deep friction massage through electronic massager. The athletic performance of the participants was assessed using the YMCA sit and reach test (S&RT) for flexibility, agility run test (ART) for agility, vertical jump test (VJT) for explosive power, and 100-meter run test (RT) for speed and explosive power at baseline, 10th day, and 20th day of the intervention. Results: The participants had a mean age of 21.55±2.05 years. The result showed that participants who received PFS showed significant (p<0.05) results as compared to PIR and FM after the 10th day, regarding VJT (p=0.006), ART (p=0.015), S&RT (p<0.001) and 100m RT (p<0.001). After the 20th day, PFA showed better results than PIR and FM after the 10th day. The participant who received FM showed less improvement than the remaining two groups but statistically significant p<0.05. Conclusion Muscle energy techniques, particularly PFS and PIR, proved effective in enhancing athletic performance parameters, including vertical jump, agility, and flexibility, among young athletes with hamstring tightness. These findings support their use in sports rehabilitation and injury prevention. Keywords: friction massage; hamstring tightness; manual mobilization technique; muscle energy technique; soft tissue mobilization post isometric relaxation; post facilitation stretch. Clinical Trail Number: NCT03680300