Appendix 1. Cochrane CENTRAL search strategy

#1        MeSH descriptor Contracture explode all trees

#2        contracture*

#3        MeSH descriptor Muscle Spasticity explode tree 1

#4        MeSH descriptor Muscle Hypertonia explode all trees

#5        MeSH descriptor Muscle Rigidity explode tree 1

#6        (spasticity or rigid*)

#7        MeSH descriptor Elasticity explode all trees

#8        elastic*

#9        stiff*

#10      extensib*

#11      flexib*

#12      MeSH descriptor Range of Motion, Articular explode all trees

#13      (range* NEAR/3 (motion* or movement or joint*))

#14      (#1 OR #2 OR #3 OR #4 OR #5 OR #6 OR #7 OR #8 OR #9 OR #10 OR #11 OR #12 OR #13)

#15      MeSH descriptor Muscle Stretching Exercises explode all trees

#16      stretch*

#17      MeSH descriptor Splints, this term only

#18      splint*

#19      cast*

#20      positioning

#21      MeSH descriptor Orthotic Devices explode all trees

#22      orthotic*

#23      orthos*

#24      MeSH descriptor Exercise Therapy explode tree 1

#25      thermoplastic*

#26      bracing

#27      brace*

#28      MeSH descriptor Yoga, this term only

#29      yoga

#30      (#15 OR #16 OR #17 OR #18 OR #19 OR #20 OR #21 OR #22 OR #23 OR #24 OR #25 OR #26 OR #27 OR #28 OR #29)

#31      (#14 AND #30)

Appendix 2. MEDLINE search strategy

1. exp Contracture/

2. contracture$.tw.

3. Muscle Spasticity/

4. Muscle Rigidity/

5. (spasticity or rigid$).tw.      

6. exp Elasticity/

7. elastic$.tw.

8. stiff$.tw.

9. extensib$.tw.

10. flexibil$.tw.

11. exp "Range of Motion, Articular"/

12. (range$ adj3 (motion$ or movement or joint$)).tw.

13. or/1‐12

14. Muscle Stretching Exercises/

15. stretch$.tw.

16. Splints/

17. splint$.tw.

18. cast$.tw.

19. positioning.tw.

20. exp Orthotic Devices/

21. orthotic$.tw.

22. orthos$.tw.

23. Exercise Therapy/

24. thermoplastic$.tw.

25. bracing.tw.

26. brace$.tw.

27. Yoga/

28. yoga.tw.

29. or/14‐28

30. 13 and 29

31. randomized controlled trial.pt.

32. controlled clinical trial.pt.

33. randomized.ab.

34. placebo.ab.

35. drug therapy.fs.

36. randomly.ab.

37. trial.ab.

38. groups.ab.

39. or/31‐38

40. humans.sh.

41. 39 and 40

42. 41 and 30

Appendix 3. CINAHL search strategy

1. Contracture/

2. contracture$.tw.

3. exp Muscle Hypertonia/

4. (spasticity or rigid$).tw.

5. exp Elasticity/

6. elastic$.tw.

7. stiff$.tw.

8. extensib$.tw.

9. flexibil$.tw.

10. "Range of Motion"/

11. (range$ adj3 (motion$ or movement or joint$)).tw.

12. or/1‐11

13. Stretching/

14. stretch$.tw.

15. Splints/

16. splint$.tw.

17. Casts/

18. cast$.tw.

19. positioning.tw.

20. Orthoses/

21. orthotic$.tw.

22. orthos$.tw.

23. Therapeutic Exercise/

24. thermoplastic$.tw.

25. bracing.tw.

26. brace$.tw.

27. Yoga/

28. yoga.tw.

29. or/13‐28

30. 12 and 29

31. exp Clinical Trials/

32. clinical trial.pt.

33. (clinic$ adj trial$1).tw.

34. ((singl$ or doubl$ or trebl$ or tripl$) adj (blind$3 or mask$3)).tw.

35. randomi?ed control$ trial$.tw.

36. Random assignment/

37. random$ allocat$.tw.

38. placebo$.tw.

39. Placebos/

40. Quantitative studies/

41. allocat$ random$.tw.

42. or/31‐41

43. 30 and 42

Appendix 4. EMBASE search strategy

1. exp Contracture/

2. contracture$.tw.

3. exp Muscle Hypertonia/

4. (spasticity or rigid$).tw.

5. Muscle Length/

6. exp elasticity/

7. elastic$.tw.

8. stiff$.tw.

9. extensib$.tw.

10. flexibil$.tw.

11. exp "joint characteristics and functions"/

12. "range of motion"/

13. (range$ adj3 (motion$ or movement or joint$)).tw.

14. or/1‐13

15. muscle stretching/

16. stretch$.tw.

17. splint/

18. splint$.tw.

19. plaster cast/

20. cast$.tw.

21. positioning.tw.

22. orthotics/

23. orthotic$.tw.

24. orthos$.tw.

25. thermoplastic$.tw.

26. bracing$.tw.

27. brace/

28. brace$.tw.

29. yoga/

30. yoga.tw.

31. or/15‐30

32. 14 and 31

33. Randomized Controlled Trial/

34. Single Blind Procedure/

35. Double Blind Procedure/

36. Crossover Procedure/

37. random$.tw.

38. factorial$.tw.

39. crossover$.tw.

40. cross over$.tw.

41. placebo$.tw.

42. (doubl$ adj blind$).tw.

43. (singl$ adj blind$).tw.

44. assign$.tw.

45. allocat$.tw.

46. volunteer$.tw.

47. or/33‐46

48. Human/

49. 47 and 48

50. 49 and 32

Appendix 5. SCI‐EXPANDED search strategy

#1        Topic=(contracture*)

#2        Topic=(spasticity) OR Topic=(rigid*)

#3        Topic=(elastic*)

#4        Topic=(stiff*)

#5        Topic=(extensib*)

#6        Topic=(flexibil*)

#7        Topic=(range* SAME (motion* OR movement OR joint*))

#8        #7 OR #6 OR #5 OR #4 OR #3 OR #2 OR #1

#9        Topic=(stretch*)

#10      Topic=(splint*)

#11      Topic=(cast*)

#12      Topic=(positioning)

#13      Topic=(orthotic* OR orthos*)

#14      Topic=(thermoplastic*)

#15      Topic=(bracing OR brace*)

#16      Topic=(yoga)

#17      #16 OR #15 OR #14 OR #13 OR #12 OR #11 OR #10 OR #9

#18      #17 AND #8

#19      TS= clinical trial* OR TS=research design OR TS=comparative stud* OR TS=evaluation stud* OR TS=controlled trial* OR TS=follow‐up stud* OR TS=prospective stud* OR TS=random* OR TS=placebo* OR TS=(single blind*) OR TS=(double blind*)

#20      #19 AND #18

Appendix 6. PEDro search strategies

The first PEDro search will combine the following terms using "OR": [Abstract & Title field] stretch*, splint*, cast*, position*, brace*, bracing*, orthos*, orthotic*.

The second PEDro search will combine the following terms using "AND": [Therapy field] stretching, mobilisation, manipulation, massage [Problem field] muscle shortening, reduced joint compliance.

The third PEDro search will combine the following terms using "AND": [Therapy field] orthosis, taping, splinting [Problem field] muscle shortening, reduced joint compliance