The effect of heat applied with stretch to increase range of motion: A systematic review

Abstract

Background: Application of heat to muscle is commonly advocated to enhance the efficacy of stretching. However, the effect of this combined therapy using different methods of heating, applied to different muscles, and after one or multiple treatments, is not known.Objectives: To perform a systematic review to address the question: Does stretching augmented by heat application result in greater gains in range of motion (ROM) compared to stretch alone?Design: Systematic review Summary: The following databases were searched for original articles that evaluated our question: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, SPORTDiscus and PEDro databases. After title and abstract screening followed by full-text screening, the quality of included articles was assessed and their data was abstracted. Screening, data abstraction and quality assessment was performed and consensus was achieved by two reviewers. Range of motion (ROM) data were synthesized by meta-analyses for overall effect and subgroup analysis according to muscle group, method of heat application, single or multiple treatments, and reported tightness of muscle. Twelve studies were included and reported the effects of stretch with or without heat on ROM of 352 participants.Heat applications included ultrasound, shortwave diathermy and hot packs. Metaanalyses and subgroup analyses demonstrated greater increases in ROM after heat and stretch (H+S) than heat alone. Subgroup analysis of muscle groups and the 3 method of heat application showed some trends, but no significant differences.Multiple treatments (more so than single treatments) showed consistent treatment effects of H+S versus stretch alone amongst subgroups. Muscles described as tight did not show a greater treatment effect in response to H+S compared to muscles not reported as tight.Conclusion: Heating provides an added benefit on stretch related gains of ROM in healthy people. Keywordsheat; stretch; range of motion; therapeutic ultrasound; shortwave diathermy; hot pack 4

Effect of Capacitive and Resistive Electric Transfer on Tissue Temperature, Muscle Flexibility, and Blood Circulation

“…Maintenance and improvement of muscle flexibility is the key to prevent and treat musculoskeletal injuries. Various studies have investigated the effect of thermotherapy on muscle flexibility; however, many of them reported the effect of thermotherapy applied concomitantly with stretching [7][8][9]. In contrast, the present study indicated that CRet alone could improve muscle flexibility.…”

“…In order to maintain and improve muscle flexibility, athletes and therapists use various methods such as stretching and thermotherapy. Many studies have reported the effect of thermotherapy combined with stretching on muscle flexibility, and they indicated that this combination is more effective for improving muscle flexibility than stretching alone [7][8][9]. However, it is unclear how thermotherapy alone influences muscle flexibility.…”

The effects of a heating pad on anxiety, pain, and distress during urodynamic study in the female patients with stress urinary incontinence

“…Heating treatments also have anxiolytic effects and have previously been applied to ameliorate stressful interventions. [26][27][28] The present study showed the remarkable and statistically significant beneficial effects of using a heating pad to reduce patients' anxiety, pain, and distress during UDS. To our knowledge, there is no study about the use of heating treatments on patients undergoing UDS.…”

“…Clinical reports suggest that heating treatments improve psychological and physiologic parameters. Heating treatments also have anxiolytic effects and have previously been applied to ameliorate stressful interventions …”

Are We Being Unfair to Physical Therapy Agents?

“…Eklem hareket açıklığı üze-rine sıcak ve soğuk uygulamaların akut ve kronik vakalarda etkili olduğu da birçok araştırmada saptanmıştır (20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25). Üç randomize kontrollü çalışmanın değerlendirildiği ve diz osteoartriti olan 179 hastanın dahil edildiği Cochrane derlemesinde; günde 20 dakika, toplam 10 seans buz paketi uygulayanlarda, plaseboya göre daha anlamlı şekilde EHA´da ve kas gücünde artma, şişlikte azalma görülmüştür (26).…”