Acute Effects of Static Stretching and Mulligan Bent Leg Raise on Hamstring Flexibility and Jumping Performance in Asymptomatic Young Adults: A Single-Session Study
Journal of Musculoskeletal Neuronal Interactions, vol.26, no.2, pp.234-241, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 26 Issue: 2
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.22540/jmni-26-234
- Journal Name: Journal of Musculoskeletal Neuronal Interactions
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, EMBASE, MEDLINE
- Page Numbers: pp.234-241
- Keywords: Flexibility, Hamstring Muscles, Jump Performance, Mulligan BLR, Static Stretching
- Süleyman Demirel University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Objectives: This study compared the acute effects of static stretching (SS) and the Mulligan bent leg raise (BLR) technique on hamstring flexibility and jumping performance in asymptomatic young adults. Methods: Forty-two participants with bilateral hamstring tightness were randomly assigned to the SS or BLR group (n = 21 each). Active knee extension (AKE), vertical jump (VJ), and single-leg hop (SLH) performance were assessed before and immediately after a single intervention session. Results: A significant main effect of time was found for all outcomes (p < 0.05). Significant time × method interactions were observed for AKE and SLH, but not for VJ. The BLR group showed greater improvements in hamstring flexibility (AKE: +6.38°) compared with the SS group (+2.10°). SLH performance improved more in the BLR group, whereas VJ improvements were similar between groups. After adjusting for baseline AKE differences, post-intervention AKE remained significantly higher in the BLR group. Conclusion: Both SS and BLR produced beneficial acute effects on hamstring flexibility and jumping performance. BLR demonstrated larger acute improvements in hamstring flexibility and single-leg hop performance in this sample; however, these findings should be interpreted cautiously and may not be directly generalizable to athletic populations. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT07138950.