Hydroxyproline levels in young adults undergoing muscular stretching and neural mobilization

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the acute effect of stretching and neural mobilization on urinary hydroxyproline (HP) levels in young adults. The sample, composed of physical therapy students from Teresina (PI), was divided into three groups: a neural mobilization group (NMG; n=15; age=22±3 years; BMI=24.75±3.09); a static stretching group (SSG; n=15; age=23±4 years; BMI: 25±4.33) and a control group (CG; n=15; age: 24±4 years; BMI: 23.91±3.09). The NMG underwent neural mobilization of the sciatic nerve while engaged in hip flexion with knee extension in a direct, oscillatory and strenuous manner for 60 seconds. The SSG performed passive static stretching, which consisted of the maintenance of a high amplitude posture, without exceeding the limits of the movement, for a period of tension ranging from four to six seconds. Urinary HP was evaluated at the baseline and 24 hours after the intervention using the colorimetric method. Repeated measures ANOVA showed significant intragroup increases in the NMG (Δ7.38 mg/24h; p=0.0001) and the SSG (Δ=3.47 mg/24h; p=0.002) and inter-group increases in the NMG (Δ%=118.89%) when compared to the SSG (Δ%=60.32%; p=0.006) and the CG (Δ%=-0.91%; p=0.0001). These results indicate that the NMG worked with tension beyond the ordinary amplitude arches of articular movement, thus causing a restructuring of collagen.