Improving General Flexibility with a Mindbody Approach: A Randomized, Controlled Trial using Neuro Emotional Technique®

General flexibility is a key component of health, wellbeing and general physical conditioning. Reduced flexibility has both physical and mental/emotional etiologies and can lead to musculoskeletal injuries and athletic underperformance. Few studies have tested the effectiveness of a mind-body therapy on general flexibility. The aim of this study was to investigate if Neuro Emotional Technique® (NET), a mind-body technique shown to be effective at reducing stress, can also improve general flexibility. The Sitand- Reach Test (SR) score was used as a measure of general flexibility. Forty-five healthy participants were recruited from the general population and assessed for initial SR score before being randomly allocated to receive either: (1) two 20-minute sessions of NET (experimental group); (2) two 20-minute sessions of stretching instruction (active control group) or (3) no intervention or instruction (passive control group). Following intervention, participants were reassessed in a similar manner by the same blind assessor. Participants also answered questions about demographics, usual water and caffeine consumption, activity level and completed an anxiety/mood psychometric pre and post-intervention. The mean (SD) change in SR score was +3.1cm (2.5) in the NET group, +1.2cm (2.3) in the active control group and +1.0cm (2.6) in the passive control group. While all three groups showed some improvement, the improvement in the NET group was statistically significant when compared to either the passive controls (p=0.015) or the active controls (p=0.021). This study suggests that NET could provide an effective treatment in improving general flexibility. A larger study is required to confirm these findings and also to assess longer term effectiveness of this therapy on general flexibility.

PMID: 21997451