Hamstring injuries are common among athletes and physically active individuals, often resulting from a lack of muscle flexibility. Muscle stretching and neural mobilization techniques offer distinct approaches to improving joint range of motion. Although previous literature provides evidence of similar effects of both interventions on the range of motion in the straight leg raise test, no study has investigated their influence on sciatic neurodynamic tension.

To compare the immediate effect of a muscle stretching exercise program versus neural mobilization on the sciatic neurodynamic tension of asymptomatic individuals.

A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 40 asymptomatic adults. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The straight leg raise test and ultrasound imaging measurements (cross-sectional area and nerve-to-skin distance) were used to assess sciatic neurodynamic tension. During the ultrasound evaluation, participants were instructed to remain in lateral decubitus, with the spine straight, head and neck supported on a pillow. The transducer was kept in a transverse position to the sciatic nerve at the posterior mid-thigh. Images were taken in two different positions of the lower limb of lesser and greater neural tension, all with the hip positioned at 60° of flexion: position A) with the knee flexed at 90° and the ankle in a neutral position, position B) with the knee extended and ankle dorsiflexion. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: the control group performed hamstring stretching exercises, while the experimental group received sciatic nerve mobilization. The effects of the interventions were compared using a mixed linear model for repeated measures.

Participants had a mean age of 30 years, with an equal sex distribution. After screening 140 individuals, the final sample was determined based on an estimated 20 participants per group. Both interventions similarly increased the hip flexion range of motion (mean difference = 3.86, 95% confidence interval from -0.46 to 8.17, p-value = 0.079). Neither technique significantly altered the cross-sectional area (p-value = 0.664) or nerve-to-skin distance (p-value = 0.868).

Sciatic nerve mobilization and hamstring stretching exercises produced similar outcomes regarding sciatic neurodynamic tension in asymptomatic individuals.

Muscle stretching and neural mobilization are similarly effective in improving range of motion in individuals assessed in the short-term. The improvement in the range of movement may be related to muscles or connective tissue adaptations since there was no effect on the neurodynamic tension.