Muscular Flexibility Notes

Muscular Flexibility

Introduction

  • Flexibility: The achievable range of motion (ROM) at a joint or group of joints without causing injury.
  • Forcing a tight muscle beyond its achievable range of motion abruptly may lead to injury.
  • A decline in flexibility can cause poor posture and subsequent aches and pains, leading to limited and painful joint movement.

Benefits of Good Flexibility

  • Flexibility enhances quality of life by:
    • Promoting healthy muscles and joints.
    • Increasing the elasticity of muscles and connective tissue.
    • Allowing greater freedom of movement for sports and recreational activities.
    • Enabling activities of daily living (turning, lifting, and bending).
  • Benefits of a regular stretching program:
    • Increases circulation to stretched muscles.
    • Prevents low-back and spinal problems.
    • Improves postural alignment.
    • Promotes proper body movement.
    • Improves self-image and appearance.
    • Develops and maintains motor skills.
    • Reestablishes normal resting length in fatigued muscles.

Factors that Affect Flexibility

  • Joint structure
    • Total range of motion around a joint is highly specific and varies from one joint to another.
  • Adipose fat
    • Excess adipose tissue increases resistance to movement.
    • Added bulk hampers joint mobility because of the contact between body surfaces.
  • Muscular elasticity and genetics
    • Plastic elongation: Permanent lengthening of soft tissue, which increases the range of motion.
    • Elastic elongation: Temporary lengthening of soft tissue, which increases extensibility (ability to stretch muscles).
  • Body temperature
    • Changes in muscle temperature can also increase or decrease flexibility.
  • Age
    • Children generally maintain a high level of flexibility until adolescence.
  • Gender
    • On average, women have better flexibility than men and tend to retain it throughout life.
  • Level of physical activity
    • The most significant contributor to lower flexibility is sedentary living.

Assessing Flexibility

  • Flexibility is joint-specific.
  • No single flexibility test can be used to determine overall body flexibility.
  • Tests used to assess flexibility:
    • Sit-and-Reach Test
    • Total Body Rotation Test
    • Shoulder Rotation Test
    • Functional Movement Screen (FMS)

Guidelines for Developing Muscular Flexibility

  • Range of joint mobility can be increased and maintained through a regular stretching program.
  • A comprehensive stretching program should include all body parts.
  • To increase the total range of motion of a joint, the specific muscles surrounding that joint have to be stretched progressively beyond their accustomed length.

Types of Stretching Exercises

  • Static (slow-sustained) stretching
    • Muscles are lengthened gradually through a joint’s complete range of motion and held at the final position.
  • Ballistic stretching
    • Requires a fast and repetitive bouncing motion to achieve a greater degree of stretch.
  • Dynamic stretching
    • Characterized by the speed of movement, momentum, and active muscular effort.
  • Controlled ballistic stretching
    • Slow, short, gentle, and controlled ballistic movements.
  • Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)
    • "Contract-and-relax method" performed with the assistance of another person.

Contraindicated Exercises

  • May cause harm because of the excessive strain placed on muscles and joints.
  • The spine, lower back, knees, neck, or shoulders are particularly susceptible.

Stretching Types

  • Static Active Stretching
    • Muscle is in a lengthened position and held with no assistance other than the strength of the agonist muscles.
    • Example: The quadriceps (agonist) holds the leg straight in the active hamstring (antagonist stretch).
  • Passive Stretching
    • No active muscular contraction in the stretched muscle.
    • Example: A fitness professional holds the leg of the client in a hamstring stretch.
  • Ballistic
  • Dynamic
  • Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)

FITT for Flexibility

  • FITT (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type) Recommendations:
    • 3 days/week, 6 repetitions of 30 seconds, active stretching.
    • 5 days/week, 6 repetitions of 5 seconds, active stretching.
    • 5 days/week, 1 repetition of 30 seconds, passive stretching.
    • 7 days/week, 2 times a day, 2 repetitions of 30 seconds.
    • 7 days/week, 2 times a day, 6 repetitions of 10 seconds.
    • 3 days/week, 15-45 seconds per repetition totaling 120 seconds a day, active or passive.

PNF Details

  • PNF involves a 3-6 second light-to-moderate (20-75% maximum) voluntary muscle contraction with a 10-30 second assisted stretch.
    • A) The athlete and partner assume the position for the stretch, and the partner extends the body limb until the muscle is stretched and tension is felt.
    • B) The athlete then contracts the stretched muscle for 5-6 seconds while the partner inhibits all movement. The force of the contraction should be relevant to the muscle's condition. (e.g., Smaller muscle group or injured muscle = do not apply a maximum contraction).
    • C) The muscle group is relaxed, then immediately and cautiously pushed past its normal range of movement for about 20 to 30 seconds. Allow 30 seconds recovery before repeating the procedure 2-4 times.