This study compared the efficacy of 4 different hamstring-stretching techniques. Flexibility can be achieved by a variety of stretching techniques, yet little research has been performed on the most effective method. The 2 basic types include active stretching, in which range of motion is increased through voluntary contraction, and passive stretching, in which range of motion is increased through external assistance. The 2 types of active stretching include neuromobilization and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF). Our study aims to determine which type of stretching technique is most effective in improving hamstring length. One hundred subjects between the ages of 21 and 57 were enrolled in the study. Intrarater reliability of hamstring length measurement was performed using 10 subjects. All 100 subjects were included in a randomized controlled trial of 5 different groups comparing different hamstring-stretching techniques. Outcome measures, including hamstring length and perceived level of hamstring tightness, were recorded on all subjects initially, at 4 weeks, and at 8 weeks. After 4 weeks of stretching, there was a statistically significant improvement in hamstring length (p < 0.05) using active stretches as compared with passive stretches. From weeks 4 through 8, hamstring length for the active stretching groups decreased. After 8 weeks of stretching, the straight leg raise (SLR) passive stretch group had the greatest improvement in hamstring length. There was no correlation between hamstring flexibility and age, initial tightness, or frequency of exercise per week. Improvement in hamstring flexibility was greatest for the SLR passive stretch. Also, using PNF in the 90/90 active stretch provided better knee range-of-motion improvements than the 90/90 passive methods did.
Background: Fluoroscopic guided percutaneous interventional spine procedures are increasingly performed in recent years as they have been shown to be target specific and enhance patient safety. However, ionizing radiation has been associated with stochastic effects such as cancer and genetic defects as well as deterministic effects such as cataracts, erythema, epilation, and even death. These are dose related, and hence, measures should be taken to minimize radiation exposure to patients and health care personnel to reduce these adverse effects. Objective: A risk reduction project was completed with the goal of reducing effective doses to the staff and patients in a university-based spinal interventional practice. Effective dose reduction to the staff and patients was hypothesized to occur with technique and equipment changes in the procedure suite. The goal of this study was to quantify effective dose rates to staff before and after interventions. Study Design: Retrospective study comparing descriptive data of effective dose to the health care staff before and after implementation of a combination of technique and equipment changes. Methods: Technique changes from pre to post intervention period included continuous needle advancement under continuous fluoroscopic controlled by the interventional physician to intermittent needle advancement under pulsed fluoroscopic controlled by the radiology technician. Equipment changes included circumferential lead drape skirt around the procedure table and use of mobile transparent lead barriers on both sides of the procedure table. Effective dose exposure measured in Millirem (mrem) from the radiation dosimetry badges for pre-intervention (February 2009 through June 2009) and post-intervention (November 2009 through March 2010) periods were examined through monthly radiation dosimetry reports for the fluoroscopy suite staff. Results: A total of 685 interventional procedures were performed in the pre-intervention period and 385 in the post-intervention period. The median cumulative mrem (interquartile range) for all staff combined in the pre-intervention period was 71 (28,75) and post-intervention period was 1 (0,3). The median mrem per procedure was significantly higher in the pre-intervention group 0.46 (0.36, 0.54) compared to post-intervention 0.01 (0.0.03); P < 0.01. The percentage reduction in overall effective dose per procedure to all staff was 97.3%. Limitations: Observational study, multiple radiation reduction interventions confound the individual effects of each intervention’s effective dose Conclusions: Spinal injection technique and equipment changes in the procedure suite significantly reduced the rate of effective dose to the clinical staff. Key words: Fluoroscopy, effective radiation dose, spine
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