Introduction: Stretching is the most common method used to reduce or prevent muscle shortening. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching techniques include muscle contraction of agonistic and/or antagonistic muscles in order to decrease neural activity in agonistic muscles, causing their relaxation, which allows more stretching of the agonistic muscles. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching techniques are regularly reported as being more effective than static stretching for increasing range of motion Purpose: Review research findings of acute effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching techniques and other stretching techniques on range of motion in healthy young adults. Methods: A literature review was conducted in databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, CINAHL and PEDro. Randomized controlled trials were included to compare the immediate effects of stretching with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation techniques and static or other stretching techniques with range of motion measurement. Results: Eight studies were included. In all studies the stretching effect of hamstring muscles were noted. In two of them range of motion results, using the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching techniques, were in favour immediately after intervention. In six studies there was no significant difference between the stretching techniques. Conclusion: The advantages of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching techniques over other stretching techniques in immediate enhancing range of motion were not confirmed.
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