THE ACUTE EFFECT OF PROPRIOCEPTIVE NEUROMUSCULAR FACILITATION ON CERVICAL RANGE OF MOTION, STRENGTH, AND PROPRIOCEPTION

Purpose: This double-blind randomized controlled study aimed to investigate the acute influence of two different proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) exercise, targeting stretching and strengthening, on cervical proprioception, range of motion (ROM) and strength among healthy university students. Methods: Healthy subjects were randomly divided into three groups as PNF stretching (PNFS) (n=36), resistive PNF pattern (PNFP) (n=35), and control group (CG) (n=33) which received only passive range of motion (ROM) exercises without causing any stretch. All participants were assessed in terms of cervical proprioception, ROM and muscle strength before and after one intervention session. Results: Within-group analysis of the PNFS group showed a significant difference only in extension proprioception and right rotation ROM (p≤0.05) while the PNFP group showed a significant difference in extension, right rotation, right and left lateral flexion proprioception; extension and right rotation ROM, and right and left rotation muscle strength (p≤0.05). For the CG, the within-group analysis showed a significant difference in flexion, extension, right rotation and right lateral flexion proprioception, extension, and left and right lateral flexion ROM (p≤0.05). Between-group analysis showed a significant difference only in cervical flexion proprioception (p=0.023) for PNFP over the CG. Conclusion: Although a lack of significant difference found in the between-group analysis, the within-group analysis showed that PNF patterns applied with resistance may be a promising technique to improve cervical proprioception, muscle strength and ROM.