Background: Hamstring tightness, marked by reduced extensibility, is common among
university students. Several risk factors contribute to this, such as prolonged sitting
during lectures. Purposes: to find out how common hamstring tightness is among Benha
University physical therapy students and investigate how it relates to limb side, gender,
and body weight. Methods: A cross-sectional investigation was carried out on 220
students (110 males, 110 females). Hamstring flexibility was assessed utilizing a digital
goniometer and the Active Knee Extension (AKE) test. Results: Hamstring tightness
was highly prevalent in the study population, with 69.1% of participants showing
tightness in the right hamstring and 74.5% in the left. Most participants experienced mild
tightness in the right hamstring (39.1%) and in the left hamstring (38.6%). No significant
association was found between gender and tightness (right: p = 0.24; left: p = 0.76) or
between limb side and tightness. Weight class showed no association with right
hamstring tightness (p = 0.09) but was significantly associated with left hamstring
tightness, with higher prevalence in overweight/obese participants (p = 0.001).
Conclusion: The frequency of hamstring tightness in students pursuing physical therapy
was found to be notably high. Hamstring tightness was comparable between both sides,
with mild tightness being the most frequently reported grade on both sides. Overweight
and obese individuals exhibited a higher incidence of left-sided hamstring tightness
compared to those with normal or low body weight. |
