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.
