Chapter 14 - Flexibility Training Concepts

What is flexibility?

The normal extensibility of all soft tissues that allows the complete ROM of a joint

What does flexibility have a major influence on while exercising?

Mobility during dynamic motion

What can poor flexibility lead to?

Development of relative flexibility (process in which HMS seeks path of least resistance during functional movements)

What is the HMS also known as, which can be classified into what two things?? What systems does it comprise?

Kinetic chain - upper kinetic chain and lower kinetic chain

Muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems

What can muscle imbalances be caused by?

Postural distortions, repetitive movements, cumulative trauma, emotional distress, poor training technique, poor bodily control, or biased training patterns

What can muscle imbalance result in?

Altered reciprocal inhibition (ARI), synergistic dominance (neuromuscular phenomenon - synergists take over for weak or inhibited agonist - leads to ARI of antagonist), or osteokinematic or arthrokinematic dysfunction

What can altered joint motion be caused by?

Altered muscle length-tension relationships, force couple relationships, or poor joint surface motion, which results in poor movement efficiency

What is neuromuscular efficiency?

Ability of nervous system to recruit correct muscles, produce force, reduce force, and dynamically stabilize body’s structure in all three planes of motion

What must individuals have to allow for optimal neuromuscular efficiency?

Flexibility in all three planes of motion

What is the scientific rationale for flexibility training (what does it prevent)?

Concept of pattern overload (consistently repeating same pattern of motion or posture - places abnormal stress on body) and the cumulative injury cycle (progressive 6 step loop where trauma builds on itself to create permanent muscle imbalances - initiated by pattern overload)

What are the 6 steps of the cumulative injury cycle?

Tissue trauma: microscopic tears due to pattern overload)

Inflammation: body sends fluid and blood to protect + pain receptors

Muscle spasms: nervous system triggers protective tensions to keep area from moving

Adhesions: continuous spasm forms inelastic “knots” or scar tissue - alters normal extensibility

Altered neuromuscular control: nervous system changes how muscle fires and forces compensation

Muscle imbalance: compensation becomes permanent - alters normal joint mechanics and causes more tissue trauma

What are common types of flexibility exercise?

Self myofascial techniques and static, active, and dynamic stretching

What is self myofascial rolling believed to do?

Thought to produce both local mechanical and neurophysiological effect on myofascial tissue

What is static stretching?

Passively take muscle to point of tension and hold for >= 30 seconds

What is active stretching?

Use agonists and synergists to dynamically move joint into a ROM, hold for 1-2 seconds, and do sets and reps

What is dynamic stretching?

Using force production of muscle and body’s momentum to take joint through full available ROM

What is a contraindication? What is a precaution?

Situation where training technique is completely unsafe and must NOT be performed

Situation where technique can be performed, but must be done with utmost caution

When should you not perform flexibility training on a client?

Acute soft tissue injury, recent injury or surgery, contagious skin disease or open wound, arthritis during flare up, osteoporosis, deep vein thrombosis or blood clots, or cancer

What are considered controversial stretches and what should you do instead?

Inverted hurdler’s stretch → seated hamstring stretch

Plow pose → seated or lying hamstring stretch

Shoulder stand → doorway stretch

Straight leg toe touch → seated or standing hamstring stretch

Arching quad stretch → standing quad stretch

What are two prime examples of relative flexibility?

Squat with excess external foot rotation → limited ankle mobility prevents adequate dorsiflexion

Overhead shoulder press with hyperlordosis → weak core stabilizers

What are force couple relationships?

Synergistic action of multiple muscles working together to move a joint

What is reciprocal inhibition?

When agonist receives signal to contract, functional antagonist also receives inhibitory signal allowing it to lengthen

What is altered reciprocal inhibition (ARI)?

When over active agonist causes decreased neural drive to functional antagonist

What is synergistic dominance?

Neuromuscular phenomenon occurs when synergists take over function for weak or inhibited prime mover (agonist)

What is altered length-tension relationship?

When muscle’s resting length too long or short, reducing amount of force that can be produced

What is a muscle spindle?

Sensory receptors sensitive to change and ROC of length of muscle

What is a Golgi tendon organ (GTO)?

Specialized sensory receptor located at point where muscle fibers insert into tendons of skeletal muscle - sensitive to change and ROC of muscular tension

What is autogenic inhibition?

Process by which neural impulses that sense tension are greater than impulses that cause muscles to contract, providing inhibitory effect on the muscle spindles (prolonged increase in tension stimulates Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO), causing muscle to relax)

Which two flexibility techniques primarily utilize the principle of autogenic inhibition?

Self myofascial rolling (SMR) and static stretching (static stretching must be >= 30 seconds for GTO to override muscle spindles - spindles tell muscle to contract thinking it’s going to tear, while GTO hates excessive tension and tells muscle eventually to relax)

What is Davis’ law?

Soft tissue models along the line of stress

What are the mechanism of action and training variables for self myofascial rolling?

Mechanism of action: autogenic inhibition

Training variables: 1-3 sets, hold each tender area for 30 seconds

What are the mechanism of action and training variables for static stretching?

Mechanism of action: stretch tolerance and/or reciprocal inhibition (depending how stretch is performed)

Training variables: 1-3 sets, hold each stretch for 30 seconds

What are the mechanism of action and training variables for active stretching (formerly called active isolated stretching)?

Mechanism of action: reciprocal inhibition

Training variables: 1-3 sets, hold each stretch for 1-2 seconds, repeat 5-10 reps

What can you do to increase the effectiveness of stretching the hip flexor, adductor, and latissimus dorsi statically or actively?

Posteriorly rotate pelvis

What are the mechanism of action and training variables for dynamic stretching?

Mechanism of action: reciprocal inhibition

Training variables: 1-3 sets, 5-10 reps, 3-10 exercises