Immediate effect of neurodynamic mobilization on knee extension angle in slump position and half-seated position and in passive and active settings: a cross-over trial.

Objectives: To investigate the immediate physiological effect of sliding neurodynamic mobilization on passive knee extension angle in slump position versus half-seated position and active setting versus passive setting.

Design: Prospective, cross-over trial in healthy subjects.

Methods: Three tests were performed: Passive Knee Extension in slump position (PKE-Slump), Passive Knee Extension in supine position (PKE-Supine) and Finger-to-Floor Distance (FFD). The primary outcome was the difference in knee extension angle between slump position (intervention) and half-seated position (control). The secondary outcome was the difference in knee extension angle between active setting and passive setting. Outcomes were compared by paired t tests.

Results: Fifty-eight healthy subjects (32 women) with a mean ± SD age of 21.6 ± 2.9 years, were included. For PKE-Slump, the mean ± SD angle was 156.4° ± 11.8 in half-seated position and 158.7° ± 13.0 in slump position, with a mean difference of +2.31° (95 %CI: -0.24 to +4.86, p = 0.08). For PKE-Supine, the mean ± SD angle was 143.0° ± 15.4 in half-seated position and 146.2° ± 15.2 in slump position, with a mean difference of +3.22° (95 % CI: -0.29 to +6.16, p = 0.03). For FFD, the mean + SD value was 0.63 ± 13.18 cm in half-seated position and -0.40 ± 11.48 cm in slump position, with a mean difference of -1.03 cm (95 % CI: -2.15 to +0.10, p = 0.07). No significant difference was found between active and passive setting.

Conclusion: An immediate effect of neurodynamic sliding mobilization was observed on knee extension angle in half-seated position and in slump position. No significant difference of knee extension angle was shown between the two positions or between the two settings. Both active and passive neural mobilisation appeared to achieve similar clinical results.