Use of Neurodynamics to Enhance Hamstring Strain Recovery

Abstract:
Hamstring injuries remain a common occurrence in sport and a challenging issue for the health care clinician to adequately manage while minimizing the risk of re-injury and time to return to play. Adverse neurodynamics are a dysfunction within the nervous system which may play a role in recovery of hamstring function due to the close proximity of muscular and neural tissue. As a result neural factors may contribute to decreased mobility and increased sensitivity. Therefore many clinicians may not incorporate neural components of rehabilitation unless trigger words are used by the patient and focus on other primary tissues such as muscle and tendon. Therefore the incorporation of neurodynamic mobilization will address the neural tissue specifically and potentially enhance rehabilitation of the hamstring strain injuries, decrease recovery time and risk of re-injury. This presentation will review hamstring injury rates, intrinsic and extrinsic factors for hamstring injury, neurodynamics for the lower extremity, published research on outcome measures of neurodynamics on hamstring function (i.e. range of motion, hamstring strength, time of return to play), and anecdotal evidence from clinical practice.

Objectives:

• Participants will be able to compare the efficacy of neurodynamics to traditional stretching techniques in changes of hamstring range of motion and hamstring strength following interventions., 
• Participants will be able to construct concepts on the incorporation of neurodynamics into the rehabilitation plan of hamstring strains., 
• Participants will be able to recognize alternative methods in clinical practice with the incorporation of neurodynamics., 
• Participants will be able to consider the rate and re-injury rate of hamstring strains and potential incorporation of neurodynamics to decrease re-injury rate.

Level:
Essential

Domains:
Domain 4: Therapeutic Intervention

CEUs:
1.0 Category A

Keywords: neurodynamics, hamstring, leg, injury, range of motion, return to play, rehab, stretching

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