Effect of thoracic mobilization exercises on hamstring flexibility: a randomized controlled trial

Background and aim: The aim was to investigate the effect of thoracic mobilization exercises on hamstring flexibility.Materials and methods: One hundred twenty individuals with hamstring tightness were included in the study. The participants were randomized into two groups: the experimental group (EG) (n = 60) or the control group (CG) (n = 60). The EG performed a home -based thoracic mobilization exercise program comprising 2 sets with 10 repetitions, once a day, 3 days a week, for 4 weeks. The CG performed active-assisted stretching of the hamstring comprising 3 sets with 10 repetitions for 15 seconds. The active knee extension (AKE) test was used to measure hamstring flexibility, and self-reported hamstring pain intensity was evaluated with a visual analog scale (VAS). All evaluations were conducted at the beginning and end of the intervention.Results: Both groups showed significant improvement in AKE (p<0.05). Pain intensity during the stretching exercises was significantly decreased only in the EG. The improvements in AKE and VAS score were greater in the EG than in the CG (p < 0.05). Between-group effect sizes were large for AKE (d = 1.075) and VAS score (d = 1.077).Conclusion: The current study showed that thoracic mobilization exercises may increase hamstring flexibility and reduce pain intensity during hamstring stretch exercises.