The Effect of Stretching Exercises Applied to Caregivers of Children with Development Disabilities on Musculoskeletal Muscle Mobility and Respiratory Function.

We aimed to investigate the effect of stretching exercises applied to the hamstring, one of the posterior muscle chains, on musculoskeletal flexibility, chest mobility, and respiratory function. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and static stretching exercises were applied to 30 healthcare personnel caring for children with developmental delays using a crossover randomized study design. Posterior muscle chain mobility was assessed using the popliteal angle test (PAT) for the hamstring muscle, the mobility of the lumbar muscles was assessed using the Schober test (ST), and the mobility of the posterior chain muscles as a whole was assessed using the finger-to-floor distance test. Chest mobility was measured using chest circumference measurements and lung volumes were measured using the pulmonary function test (PFT). The results showed that stretching exercises applied to the hamstrings led to significant improvements in PAT, ST, and chest mobility in the direction of maximal expiration (