Effect of cessation and resumption of static hamstring muscle stretching on joint range of motion

STUDY DESIGN

Single group repeated measures.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effects of cessation and resumption of a hamstring muscle stretching protocol on knee range of motion (ROM).

BACKGROUND

It is generally accepted that stretching exercises result in an increase in ROM. The ability to maintain ROM once stretching has ceased and the ability to regain ROM after resumption of the stretching exercise is not well-known.

METHODS AND MEASURES

Evaluated the effect of 6 weeks of static hamstring stretching, 4 weeks with cessation from stretching, and 6 weeks with resumption of stretching on knee ROM in 18 inactive college students (12 men, 6 women, mean age 21.0 years). The hamstring stretching consisted of 2 30-second stretches per day, 5 days per week. Knee ROM was measured before and after each of the above phases with an active knee extension test.

RESULTS

Mean knee ROM increased after the initial stretching period (143+/-11 to 152+/-9 degrees), decreased to baseline following the cessation period (145+/-8 degrees) and again increased following the resumption of stretching but was not different from the initial gains (154+/-10 degrees). Unlike the stretch limb, the control limb ROM did not change over the 4 measurement times.

CONCLUSIONS

There was no retention of knee ROM 4 weeks following a 6-week stretching protocol and a subsequent stretching period did not enhance the gain of knee ROM over the initial stretching period.

Costing out nursing: combining PCSs (patient classification systems), DRGs, and standards of care

Perhaps the greatest challenge hospitals face today is simultaneously providing high-quality care and containing costs. To meet this challenge, nursing services must master the ability to accurately project staffing that guarantees high-quality care within justifiable cost limits. Nursing is an important cost center in hospitals; therefore, it is necessary to extract nursing care costs from room and board costs. By establishing a PCS and a set of standards of care for each DRG category, nurse administrators can control nursing staff ratios while ensuring quality care, therefore, effectively and efficiently using their nursing resources. This study suggests that direct nursing care can be delivered to meet the patient care needs within the DRG trim points and that by delivering care according to a set of standards, nursing care costs can be determined for a specific group of patients. These findings assist the nurse administrator in establishing control measures and setting resource allocation priorities.