Is There A Relationship Between the Functional Reach Test and Flexibility?
Masanobu Uchiyama, Shinichi Demura, Sohee Shin
.
DOI: 10.4236/ape.2011.12003   PDF    HTML     6,568 Downloads   13,727 Views   Citations

Abstract

This study examined the influence of short-term stretching and improved flexibility on functional reach (FR) performances (reach distance and rotation angle of various joints during reaching). 17 healthy male university students were assigned to either experimental and control groups based on the random assignment. A pre-test/Post-test design was used in this study. The variable factor for the experimental group was stretching (jogging for warming up and stretching). Main outcome measures were flexibility (static maximum range of motion of shoulder, hip, and ankle joints) and FR of participants. FR test performances were assessed by the reach distance and rotation angles of each joint during reaching. No significant differences between the groups were found in the participants’ characteristics, and no skeletal muscle fatigue was found in the lower limb. In the experimental group, shoulder and hip-joint flexibility increased significantly by stretching, and showed higher values than that of the control group. In contrast, FR test performance did not reveal any changes. Slight intraindividual ROM improvements by short-term stretching may be less important for FR postural strategies. FR test performances are little influenced by light static stretching in young healthy adults.

Share and Cite:

Uchiyama, M. , Demura, S. & Shin, S. (2011). Is There A Relationship Between the Functional Reach Test and Flexibility?. Advances in Physical Education, 1, 11-15. doi: 10.4236/ape.2011.12003.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] Barrett C. J., & Smerdely P. (2002). A comparison of community-based resistance exercise and flexibility exercise for seniors. The Australian Journal of Physiotherapy, 48, 215-219.
[2] Boulgarides, L. K., McGinty, S. M., Willett, J. A., & Barnes, C. W. (2003). Use of clinical and impairment-based tests to predict falls by community-dwelling older adults. Physical Therapy, 83, 328-339.
[3] Duncan, P. W., Weiner, D. K., Chandle, J., & Studenski, S. (1990). Functional reach: A new clinical measure of balance. Journal of Gerontology, 45, 192-197.
[4] Fransson, P. A., Kristinsdottri, E. K., Hafstrom, A., Magnusson, M., & Johansson, R. (2004). Balance control and adaptation during vibratory perturbations in middle-aged and elderly humans. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 91, 595-603. doi:10.1007/s00421-003-1013-1
[5] Fujisawa, H., Takeda, R., Maeda, S., & Hayakawa, Y. (2005). Significance of functional reach test and one-footed standing duration in hemiplegia: Relationship between balance and walking abilities. Journal of the Japanese Physical Therapy Association, 32, 416-422. [In Japanese with English Abstract]
[6] Laboratory of Physical Education Tokyo Metropolitan University. (2000). New physical fitness standards of Japanese people (5th ed.). Tokyo: Fumaido. [In Japanese]
[7] Mecagni, C., Smith, J. P., Roberts, K. E., O’Sullivan, S. B. (2000). Balance and ankle range of motion in community-dwelling women aged 64 to 87 years: A correlational study. Physical Therapy, 80, 1004-1011.
[8] Nakamura, I., Okuda, M., Kage, H., Kunitugu, I., Sugiyama, S., Hobara, T., & Asami, I. (2006). The relationship between a functional reach test and other balance tests. Rigakuryoho Kagaku, 21, 335-339. [In Japanese with English Abstract] doi:10.1589/rika.21.335
[9] Safran, M. R., Garrett, W. E. Jr., Seaber, A. V., Glisson, R. R., & Ribbeck, B. M. (1988). The role of warmup in muscular injury prevention. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 16, 123-129. doi:10.1177/036354658801600206
[10] Takakura, S., & Ohgi, S. (2005). The relationship between the standing postural control test using the elderly balance board type N and gait performance. Rigakuryoho Kagaku, 20, 315-319. [In Japanese with English Abstract] doi:10.1589/rika.20.315
[11] Thomas, J. I., & Lane, J. V. (2005). A pilot study to explore the predictive validity of 4 measures of falls risk in frail elderly patients. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 86, 1636-1640. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2005.03.004
[12] Tsushima, E., Tsushima, H., Ishida, M., Hasegawa, T., & Ohkuma, K. (2001). Correlation of functional reach distance, sagittal displacement and envelope area of the center of gravity in functional reach test by hip, ankle, and heels-up strategy in normal subjects. Rigakuryoho Kagaku, 16, 159-165. [In Japanese with English Abstract] doi:10.1589/rika.16.159
[13] Vuillerme, N., Pinsault, N., & Vaillant, J. (2005). Postural control during quiet standing following cervical muscular fatigue: Effects of changes in sensory inputs. Neuroscience Letters, 378, 135-139. doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2004.12.024
[14] Wernick-Robinson, M., Krebs, D. E., & Giorgetti, M. M. (1999). Functional reach: Does it really measure dynamic balance? Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 80, 262-269. doi:10.1016/S0003-9993(99)90136-3
[15] Whitney, S. L., Poole, J. L., & Cass, S. P. (1998). A review of balance instruments for older adults. The American journal of occupational therapy. Official Publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association, 52, 666-671. doi:10.5014/ajot.52.8.666
[16] Yamada M., & Ichihashi N. (2010). Predicting the probability of falls in community-dwelling elderly individuals using the trail-walking test. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15, 386-391. doi:10.1007/s12199-010-0154-1
[17] Zumbrunn T., Macwilliams B. A., & Johnson B. A. (2011). Evaluation of a single leg stance balance test in children. Gait & Posture, 34, 174-177. doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2011.04.005

Copyright © 2024 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.