Influence of a single physical therapy instructional intervention on the global flexibility and hip angular range of motion during trunk flexion

Abstract

Many subjects may be performing anterior trunk flexion with limited physiologic hip flexion, due to a poor bodily perception. This study assessed, among 21 subjects (10 men), which body part is perceived as being responsible for performing anterior trunk flexion; and verified whether, after one single physical therapy intervention (with visual, verbal and tactile stimuli), a raise in global flexibility would take place due to hip flexion increase. Both the distance fingertip-to-floor and the hip angular variation were measured before and after intervention; measures were analysed by means of photograph tracings. When questioned before intervention, 71% of the subjects pointed to the iliac crest region as being the major responsible for performing trunk flexion, showing that most were unaware of hip preponderance in this movement. Following intervention, a significant decrease was noticed in the fingertip-to-floor distance (21.8 cm before and 18.5 cm after), as well as significant increase in hip flexion (p=0.0036). As expected, global flexibility increased after intervention due to increase in hip flexion.