Immediate Effects of Neuroathletic Training on Muscle Activity, Flexibility, and Ankle Mobility

Hamstring tightness may be accompanied by limitations in flexibility and movement along the back of the body. Neuroathletic training combines exercises involving vision, eye movements, balance-related sensory input, and movement coordination. Its immediate effects on muscle activity and mobility require investigation. This randomized study compared a single 20-minute neuroathletic training session with a 20-minute active control session in 40 adults aged 18 to 35 years with hamstring tightness. Participants were assigned to two groups of 20, with equal numbers of male and female participants in each group. The neuroathletic training session included visual preparation exercises, eye movement drills, vestibular stimulation, trunk extension preparation, and visually guided movement tasks. The active control session consisted of light walking followed by non-ballistic dynamic stretching of the lower limbs, upper limbs, and trunk. Both sessions were supervised. Before and after the assigned session, muscle activity was assessed in four muscle groups along the posterior chain using surface electromyography during the Superman exercise. Hamstring flexibility was assessed using an active knee extension test, and ankle dorsiflexion was assessed using a weight-bearing lunge test. The study evaluated whether the immediate changes in these measures differed between neuroathletic training and the active control session.