Effect of Endorphin Release Therapy on Pain and Range of Motion of Injured Senior High School Athletes in Central Region, Ghana

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Endorphin Release Therapy (ERT) on pain and Range of Motion (ROM) of joints among injured Senior High School (SHS) athletes in the Central Region of Ghana. A purposive sample of 62 SHS injured athletes from the Central Region participated in the quasi-experimental study. Quantitative data were collected by the use of an orthopedic mobility scanner; a standard goniometer and 0-10 Numerical Rating Scale. The reported intra examiner reliability coefficient of the instruments mentioned are .98, .96 and .98 respectively (Bermingham, 2003; Williams, Davies, & Chadury, 2000). Frequencies and percentages were used to answer the four (4) research questions. The dependent paired sample t-test and multivariate ordered logistic regression were used to analyze the three research hypotheses of the study at an alpha level of 0.05. The major findings of the study were that ERT is very effective in the relief of traumatic pain, as well as in the improvement of ROM of injured joints of SHS athletes of Central Region, Ghana. With the consideration of effect sizes, ERT proved to be more effective in the management of traumatic pain than in the management of restricted ROM of injured joints. As recommendation, ERT should be considered and put into in the curriculum of medical doctors, sports therapist, physical education teachers, and others, since it could help in reducing chronic traumatic pains. Further studies on the effectiveness of ERT in the management of other prevalent sports related injuries and diseases such as stroke and heart attack is suggested.