| خلاصه مقاله | Introduction: Soft tissue tightness is a primary contributor to various musculoskeletal abnormalities, and corrective exercise specialists frequently employ stretching techniques to address these conditions. In clinical practice, the stretching exercises are often performed manually. However, when targeting the lower limb muscles, therapists and coaches must exert substantial force over the prolonged periods often in biomechanically and ergonomically unfavorable postures. Repetitive execution of manual stretching not only induces fatigue but also increases the risk of work related injuries among them. Thus, a custom designed device could mitigate the challenges by facilitating safer and more efficient delivery of the muscle stretching.
Method: The device was designed using CATIA V5-6R2019 software, with detailed technical drawings extracted for component fabrication. Two single-phase electro gearboxes generate the stretching force, controlled via a 4-directional control panel. A cable-driven power transmission system was implemented to transfer force. To evaluate the device’s efficacy in controlling joint alignment during stretching, trials were conducted on 32 healthy participants, targeting seven major muscle groups including the hamstrings, gastrosoleus, iliopsoas, quadriceps, adductors, abductors, and gluteus and piriformis. Joint angle deviations during the corrective and stretching were recorded and analyzed.
Results: Of 224 stretches performed across the seven muscle groups, 222 (99.1%) exhibited angular deviations below 10°, confirming the device’s ability to minimize unwanted and cheating motions by controlling joint alignment.
Conclusion: The device enables therapists and coaches to perform lower limb muscle stretching with minimal physical exertion while maintaining proper biomechanical alignment. They might have a technical oversight role in directing and adjusting the amount of the stretch rather than the manual force application |