A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF SUPERFICIAL HEATING AND COOLING APPLICATION OVER THE HAMSTRING PRIOR TO STRETCHING IN NORMAL INDIVIDUALS

Background: Prior to stretching the muscle need to warm up or relaxation to obtain grater extent of the joint range of motion. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out with Sixteen healthy male subjects, in outpatient department of Kugler physio & pain care clinic, Guntur. Measured knee joint range of motion in pre-treatment, After applying superficial heat, superficial heating plus static stretch and superficial cooling and superficial cooing plus static stretch and compared the obtained range of motions. Results: While applying the superficial heating and superficial cooling plus stretching, there is a greater extent of range of motion obtained compare to the other modalities. Conclusion: Superficial heating modality is effective in conjunction with static stretch to improve the muscle flexibility as well as joint range of motion.