Effects of Combining PNF With NMES in Young Basketball Players

Short Term Effects of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Combined With Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation in Young Basketball Players: a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Hamstring muscle injuries are common in basketball and result in long periods of inactivity. This study aims to compare two different stretching programs to assess their effects on hamstring flexibility and, secondarily, on jumping ability in young basketball players. One program uses a special stretching technique called proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), while the other uses the same stretching but adds electrical stimulation (NMES).

Hamstring strains are increasingly common in sports, particularly in football and professional basketball, where they are the fourth most frequent injury. Stretching, especially when combined with techniques like proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), is a key method used to reduce the risk of these injuries. PNF, which involves alternating stretches with muscle contractions, is widely regarded for improving muscle flexibility. Recently, stretching combined with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has also shown promise for increasing flexibility. A variant of PNF called contract-relax PNF (crPNF) has been proposed, where NMES is applied during the contraction phase to further enhance flexibility gains. However, there are no studies on the short-term effects of crPNF and crPNF + NMES in young male basketball players, a group known for higher degrees of hamstring shortening.

This study aims to compare the short-term effects of crPNF and crPNF + NMES on hamstring flexibility in young male basketball players and assess whether one technique is superior to the other. A secondary goal is to determine if either stretching protocol negatively impacts vertical jump ability, an important skill in basketball.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Active basketball players who train at least 3 days a week
• Ages between 11 and 18 years
• Male gender

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participation in an organized hamstring stretching program
• Presence of low back pain
• Hamstring muscle injuries in the last 6 months
• Spinal or abdominal surgeries in the last 6 months