Floss band application

Following pretests, participants were instructed to lie prone on a (standard) therapeutic table (with knee of the dominant leg slightly flexed), while the floss band comprising a thick latex elastic band (Medical Flossing Band, Germany, 1.3 mm thick, 50mm wide, 150mm long) was wrapped around the upper-thigh of the dominant leg. A simple thigh-bandaging technique was used: with its origin at the mid-thigh mark, the elastic band was first pulled and then wrapped in a circular motion around the thigh moving proximally towards the hip in a progressive way. Each subsequent wrap overlapped the previous by approx. 50%, before fixing the last part of the band (approx. 5 cm) underneath the final wrap. When fully applied, the floss band covered approx. 15 cm of the thigh. The pressure used to wrap the thigh was individualized to the subjects’ thigh circumference and differed for each visit according to the selected protocol (CON, LOW, HIGH). Once the floss band was applied, participants were instructed to sit on the edge of the therapeutic table, with ¾ of the thigh supported by the therapeutic table, feet unsupported, performing slow continuous active knee extension (2 seconds) and flexion (2 seconds) ranging from a bent knee position (90°) to knee fully extended (0°). After 120 s the floss band was unwrapped, and participants were allowed to rest for 120 s. In the rest period, the subjects were instructed to lie still on their backs on the therapeutic table, while the re-application of floss band was carried out in the last 30 s of the rest period. This procedure was repeated three times (3 sets of 120 s flossing with active motion followed by 90 s of rest and 30 s of re-application).