Effect of Short Duration versus Long Duration Muscle Energy Technique in Hamstring Tightness: A Randomised Clinical Trial

Introduction: Hamstring tightness, which is common in both active and sedentary people, is caused by factors such as prolonged sitting, overuse, and poor posture, resulting in reduced flexibility and range of motion in normal daily activities. Muscle Energy Technique (MET) is acknowledged as an effective intervention to address this issue, but the impact of the duration on its effect remains underexplored. Aim: To compare the effect of short duration and long duration MET on hamstring flexibility in healthy young adults. Materials and Methods: A randomised clinical trial was conducted at KLES Prabhakar Kore Hospital, Belagavi, Karnataka, India, from November 2024 to April 2025. A total of 72 volunteers aged 18-25 years were screened, of which 64 participants met the inclusion criteria and were randomly allocated into two groups (n=32 each). Group 1 received short duration MET (5 repetitions) with Hot Moist Pack (HMP), while group 2 received long duration MET (10 repetitions) with HMP. Outcome measures included Active Knee Extension (AKE), Straight Leg Raise (SLR), and the Sit and Reach test, which were assessed both pre- and post-intervention. Data were analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U tests (p-value