Facilitated Stretching
216 Pages
Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition With Online Video, remains the most trusted resource for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching, an effective and easy-to-use method that involves stretching the muscle, contracting it isometrically against resistance, and then stretching it again to increase range of motion. Featuring a full-color interior, streamlined organization, and a new online video package, the fourth edition brings PNF stretching beyond the treatment room with the inclusion of techniques for the gym, workout room, and home.
The fourth edition offers a visual demonstration of PNF stretching techniques with more than 320 photos and illustrations. It includes these updates:
• A full-color interior provides readers with clear images of the techniques discussed
• Graphic elements on selected photos highlight the muscles being stretched as well as the isometric effort for the stretcher and the partner
• Reorganization streamlines the content into two parts, first focusing on the basics and then covering stretches
• Expanded content demonstrates how to incorporate stretches, including strengthening routines, into nontherapy workouts to optimize functional training
• An appendix showcases anatomical planes of motion, anatomical terms, and types of joints
• Online high-definition video presents both treatment room techniques and simplified PNF stretches for nontherapy settings
Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition, examines techniques and guidelines for PNF stretches in a variety of settings. Stretches are demonstrated on a treatment table, mat on the floor, chair, cable-pulley machine, and weightlifting bench. Stretches are grouped according to each joint, and the majority of the stretches include both a partner stretch version and a self-stretch version. The accompanying online video then demonstrates more than 90 of these stretches to reinforce proper technique for each stretch as well as four sample stretching routines. Visual icons in the book indicate which stretches are shown in the video.
As in previous editions, specific routines are included for cycling, golf, running, swimming, throwing and racket sports, and now ice hockey. It also includes general stretches for everyday use, plus stretches for those with “rusty hinges.” These ready-made stretching routines make it easy to incorporate facilitated stretching into a workout regimen and take the guesswork out of organizing a stretching routine to match the needs of a specific sport.
For accomplished athletes or those just beginning a fitness program, the regular use of facilitated stretching can help improve flexibility and coordination and boost performance and enjoyment of sports. Manual therapists, massage therapists, athletic trainers, personal trainers, sport physicians, and coaches will find valuable information and techniques for optimizing flexibility, coordination, and performance. Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition, provides access to the latest PNF stretching techniques to help assess current muscle function, improve range of motion, increase strength, address overuse injuries, and enhance performance.
Earn continuing education credits/units! A continuing education course and exam that uses this book is also available. It may be purchased separately or as part of a package that includes all the course materials and exam.
Part I. The Prerequisites
Chapter 1. Understanding the Basics of Stretching
Soft Tissues Affected by Stretching
Muscle Interactions
Muscle Contractions
Reflexes Relevant to Facilitated Stretching
Types of Stretching
Guidelines for Stretching
Chapter Summary
Chapter 2. Focusing on Facilitated Stretching
PNF History
PNF Basis: Spiral–Diagonal Movement
PNF Stretching Techniques
Facilitated Stretching Guidelines
Detailed Sequence for Facilitated Stretching
Safety Considerations for Facilitated Stretching
Chapter Summary
Chapter 3. Using the Spiral–Diagonal Patterns of PNF
When and Why to Use Spiral-Pattern Stretches
Learning the Patterns Through Free Motion
Facilitated Stretching Using the Patterns
Lower Extremity Stretches Using the Patterns
Upper Extremity Stretches Using the Patterns
Strengthening Exercises Using the Patterns
Chapter Summary
Part II. The Stretches
Chapter 4. Stretches for the Torso and Neck
Oblique Abdominals
Lower Back
Upper Trapezius
Sternocleidomastoid
Scalenes
Suboccipitals
Levator Scapulae
Chapter 5. Stretches for the Lower Extremity
Hip Extensors
Hip Flexors
Hip Lateral (External) Rotators
Hip Medial (Internal) Rotators
Hip Abductors
Hip Adductors
Knee Extensors
Ankle Plantar Flexors
Ankle Dorsiflexors
Toe Flexors
Toe Extensors
Ankle Evertors: Peroneal (Fibularis) Group
Ankle Invertors
Chapter 6. Stretches for the Upper Extremity
Rotator Cuff
Scapular Stabilizers
Additional Muscles That Move the Arm
Elbow
Wrist and Hand
Supinators and Pronators
Chapter 7. Stretching Routines for Specific Activities
Everyday Sequence
Cycling
Golf
Ice Hockey
Running
Swimming
Throwing and Racket Sports
Rusty Hinges
Robert McAtee, BA, LMT, CSCS, C-PT, has been a sport massage therapist since 1981, specializing in sport and orthopedic massage therapy. Since 1988 he has maintained an active international sport massage practice in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
McAtee has been using facilitated stretching techniques with clients and athletes since 1986. He teaches facilitated stretching and sport massage seminars throughout the United States and internationally to massage therapists, athletic trainers, personal trainers, chiropractors, Olympic-caliber athletes and coaches, and amateur athletes.
McAtee received his massage training at the Institute for Psycho-Structural Balancing (IPSB) in Los Angeles and San Diego (1981-82) and through the Sports Massage Training Institute (SMTI) in Costa Mesa, California (1986). He holds a BA in psychology from California State University (1974), is nationally certified in therapeutic massage and bodywork (1992), and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (1998) and certified personal trainer. He has been an active member of the American Massage Therapy Association since 1988.
A keynote speaker and featured presenter at numerous national and international conventions, McAtee also regularly presents workshops nationally and internationally on the topics of facilitated stretching, massage, and soft-tissue injury care. For more information, please contact him at:
Pro-Active Massage Therapy
1119 N. Wahsatch Ave., Suite 1
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
USA
Tel: 719-475-1172
Website: www.stretchman.com
Jeff Charland, PT, ATC, CSCS, GDMT, was a 1983 graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Madison physical therapy program, where he also competed as a varsity wrestler on a scholarship. Beginning in 1987, Charland lectured in the areas of sports medicine, rehabilitation, and assessment and treatment of neural tissue disorders. He was a team trainer and traveled internationally with the U.S. Judo and U.S. Wrestling Federations’ national and Olympic teams.
Charland completed the graduate program in manipulative therapy at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia, under the direction of Bob Elvey, a world-renowned physiotherapist. He was a certified athletic trainer through the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). In 1997, he earned a certification in active release techniques. He also served as director of a sport physical therapy clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Charland passed away in December 2004; however, his contributions to previous editions were significant and continue to be appreciated.
“If a picture is worth 1000 words, then a video is worth 10,000 words, particularly when it includes narration detailing how the body should be positioned and what the stretcher, and the partner if it is a partner stretch, should be doing at each point during the stretch. The use of the video demonstrations moves the book to a much higher level of teaching, and learning for the reader. Readers will be much more comfortable with, and knowledgeable of, doing the stretches and conditioning exercises after they have watched somebody else do it, and had key points explained to them. In sum, the combination of the printed book and the video demonstrations make this an outstanding resource for individuals wishing to enhance their movement ability in a variety of settings, and activities, through the use of effective stretching and movement techniques.”
Gordon Chalmers, PhD—Western Washington University
Guidelines for stretching
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering.
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering. Opponents argue that stretching is a waste of time, can actually cause injury, and does nothing to improve performance or prevent soreness or injuries. Each side has a multitude of studies, reports, and anecdotal evidence to support its claims. While researchers advance the scientific investigation of stretching, the discussion regarding the benefits versus the risks of stretching continues on the playing field and in gyms, training rooms, and sports clinics.
Supporters of stretching generally agree that in the best of all possible exercise schemes, the athlete warms up, stretches, exercises, stretches again, and then cools down.
Stretch After Warm-Up
The physiological evidence is clear that warm muscles stretch more effectively than cold ones. A warm-up entails 10 to 15 minutes of light activity, similar to what the exercise or sport will be. This light activity increases blood flow to the muscles and gets them ready to work. Warming up also helps reduce stiffness, making the muscles more supple, so they stretch more easily (Bishop 2003a, b).Grant (1997) discusses other benefits of warming up, including increased production of synovial fluid to lubricate joints, increased oxygen exchange in the muscles, increased rate of nerve transmission, and more efficient cooperation of the muscles around a joint. By warming up first, stretching exercises will be more effective and efficient, the athlete will make greater gains than if stretching cold, and the risk of injury from stretching is greatly reduced.
Stretch Twice
In an ideal world, stretching would be included as part of the warm-up before exercise and as part of the cool-down after exercise. The reasoning behind stretching twice goes like this:
Stretching the muscles before a workout gets them ready to perform at their optimal length. This optimal length allows the muscles to develop the most power as they work. There is a preponderance of evidence that some types of stretching immediately before athletic activity may decrease explosive power and speed (Simic, Sarabon, and Markovic 2013; Behm and Chaouachi 2011). Research on the effects of preactivity stretching on endurance has not been definitive. Erring on the side of caution, most fitness professionals now recommend that preactivity stretching be confined to dynamic stretching as part of an overall warm-up routine.
Stretching the muscles after exercise while they're still warm brings them back to their optimal resting length. As muscles work they repeatedly contract and shorten, and they tend to stay short when the workout is over unless they're stretched again to their normal resting length. Postexercise stretching can be incorporated into the cool-down.
Stretch Once
If time is limited, we recommend skipping the preexercise stretching and concentrating on postexercise stretching. When preexercise stretching is eliminated, the warm-up routine before the main workout needs to be thorough. Postexercise stretching will return tight, tired muscles to their normal resting length as you go about the remainder of your daily activities. In postexercise stretching, there is some danger of overstretching the muscles because they may be too pliable. But if postexercise stretching is done with awareness, the risk is minimal and is far outweighed by the benefits.
Stretch Without Pain
We believe that stretching must be completely comfortable to be effective. In our experience, many people stretch incorrectly, believing that if something doesn't hurt a little, it's not working. It's a variation on the "no pain, no gain" mentality of exercise. Stretching until it hurts triggers the nervous system's natural response to pain: The muscle will resist lengthening to prevent possible injury to the tissue being stretched.
We advocate stretching the muscle just to its soft-tissue barrier - that is, the point at which you begin to feel some resistance to further stretching but no discomfort. The soft-tissue barrier is the starting point for the stretch.
"Stretch without pain" also applies to the rest of the body during a specific stretch. Even if you have no pain in the muscle you're stretching, pain or discomfort elsewhere in your body will negatively affect your results. For example, if you're having low back pain while you stretch your quadriceps, you won't be able to relax and fully engage in the stretch. Repositioning to relieve your back pain makes the quadriceps stretch more effective.
Remember That Flexibility Varies
Experienced stretchers are acutely aware that flexibility varies from day to day and from joint to joint. It's important to take each day as it comes and stretch as best you can. Just as those who change their diets to lose weight are advised not to step on the scale daily, you cannot measure improvement in flexibility daily; you are better off looking at your gains over the long term.
Recognize When to Stretch and When to Strengthen
Stretching tight muscles is a pleasurable activity when done correctly. But not all tight muscles need to be stretched. Some are already overstretched and need to be strengthened instead. The following paragraphs deal with the differences between hypertonic and eccentrically stressed muscles, called crossed syndrome, and the effects of neurological inhibition on muscle balance. This is a brief discussion of a complex topic, which we urge you to explore more fully in other writings devoted to the subject (Lewit 1999; Chaitow 2006; Liebenson 2006).
- Hypertonic muscles. When a muscle is short and tight because of habitual concentric contraction, it's called hypertonic. Myers (2008) refers to this as "locked short." A good example of short and tight can be found in the pectoralis major. Because most of us spend so much time sitting in front of computers, driving, or doing other activities that use our arms in front, the pectoralis muscles can become chronically hypertonic. Hypertonic muscles tend to feel fat or thick and tight to palpation. Stretching these muscles can help restore them to normal tone and length.
- Eccentrically stressed muscles. When a muscle is overstretched (usually due to postural stress), it will also feel tight; but instead of being short and tight, it is long and tight, or "locked long" (Myers 2008). It stays in a state of eccentric contraction, in which it constantly works to try to return to its normal length. The rhomboids provide a good example of muscles under eccentric stress. Most of us tend to be a little round shouldered. Hypertonic pectoralis muscles contribute to this posture. As a result, the rhomboids, which attach to the spine and the shoulder blades, are always fighting to counteract the force of the pectoralis muscles and pull the blades back to their normal position. The resulting eccentric stress causes the rhomboids to feel tight and sore to palpation. Muscles under eccentric stress tend to feel thin or stringy and tight. The correction for this condition is not to stretch the rhomboids but to strengthen them and to stretch the pectoralis muscles to restore balance between the chest and the back.
- Crossed syndrome. Similar patterns of muscle imbalance can be found elsewhere in the body. Czech researcher Vladimir Janda (1983) describes these patterns of imbalance as upper and lower crossed syndromes (figure 1.11).
- Muscle weakness due to inhibition. Even though Sherrington's law of reciprocal inhibition does not universally apply as previously believed, our experience with patients has taught us to act as if hypertonic muscles have a reflexive inhibitory effect on their opposing muscles. To use the pectoralis muscles and the rhomboids again as an example, when the pectoralis muscles are locked short, they not only contribute to the eccentric stress on the rhomboids by mechanically pulling against them but also appear to neurologically inhibit the rhomboids, making them less able to exert their normal strength to maintain postural balance. It is common to find that the rhomboids regain much of their normal strength and tone spontaneously after the pectoralis muscles are released through stretching. The same scenario is seen in many areas of the body. Because of this, we believe that stretching work should precede strengthening when one is trying to correct postural imbalances.
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Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Understand the function of ligaments
You can read Human Kinetics e-books on desktop, laptop, and various mobile devices, as long as you have authorized the device or e-reader app to read e-books protected by Adobe’s digital rights management (DRM).
Ligaments
In classic anatomy, ligaments are defined as fibrous bands of dense connective tissue that attach bones to each other - that is, ligaments hold joints together. Ligaments are composed primarily of collagen bundles in parallel, with a mixture of elastic fibers and fine collagen fibers interwoven. This arrangement creates tissue that is pliable enough to allow freedom of motion at the joint and strong enough to resist stretching forces.
Ligaments are traditionally described as running in parallel to the muscles. Their function is to provide support to the joint at the ends of its range of motion (figure 1.2).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453874_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462648_ebook_Main.jpg
Ligaments are traditionally described as (a) running in parallel to the muscles and (b) functioning primarily when under tension at the end of a joint's range of motion. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
As our understanding of the role of fascia throughout the body has deepened in recent years, many of our classic explanations are being challenged. Dutch osteopath and anatomist Jaap van der Wal has published a research paper that looks at the body from an architectural perspective rather than the typical anatomical dissection perspective (2009). He describes ligaments, based on his observations during careful dissections, as being continuous with the fascial sleeve in which muscles run; therefore, they are considered to run in series with muscle tissue and not as parallel, but separate, entities. Ligaments appear to provide support to the joint structure throughout the joint's range of motion. Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to more clearly describe the function of ligaments that form synovial joints (figure 1.3).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453883_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462649_ebook_Main.jpg
(a) Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to describe muscles and ligaments that run in series with each other. (b) The dynament is under tension and provides support in all joint positions. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
Even as our understanding of the structure and function of ligaments broadens to include this architectural viewpoint of the transmission of forces across joints, we must still be cautious with stretching. Ligamentous tissue has a different ratio of collagen to elastic fibers than does tendinous tissue. Ligaments provide the majority of resistance to movement at the end range of a joint. If they are repeatedly overstretched, they lose their ability to return to their normal length and to stabilize the joint. This creates joint laxity and sets the stage for joint injury.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Safety considerations for facilitated stretching
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work.
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work. You act only as a facilitator for the technique and make no attempt to increase the stretch. This factor addresses the concern of some investigators that poorly trained or inattentive partners could cause injury by being too vigorous in moving the limb to a new range of motion (Beaulieu 1981; Surburg 1981).
Stretching safely is of utmost concern for both the stretcher and the partner. Using proper body mechanics is extremely important during all phases of stretching, but especially during the isometric phase. The stretcher and the partner need to plan carefully and communicate freely with each other. The partner may be expending unnecessary energy (because of poor ergonomics) in applying the resistance, or the stretcher may be working too hard. As the partner you can be injured by carelessly using these techniques, and you can develop overuse syndromes unnecessarily.
Safety for the Partner
- As you work, pay attention to your legs and feet. Use an athletic stance to help you remain balanced and stable, especially as you resist the isometric contraction of the stretcher. Your athletic stance will typically be a modified lunge, with one foot forward and the other back, your pelvis turned toward the line of force. Keep your knees slightly bent, and focus on using your leg muscles. Keep your body weight evenly distributed over both feet, maintain length in your back and neck, and allow your head to sit comfortably over your shoulders (figure 2.6).
- Be aware of keeping your spine lengthened as you work, instead of collapsing into yourself. This lengthening helps prevent undue stress on your vertebrae.
- Keep your low back area flattened to reduce pressure on your lumbar spine. This will help prevent low back pain. Tighten your abdominal muscles to help keep your back from arching too far.
- Avoid unnecessary twisting or bending. Instead, have the stretcher move to accommodate you.
- Use the large muscles of the trunk and extremities to resist the isometric contraction instead of smaller, weaker muscles. For instance, have the stretcher push against your shoulder rather than your arm during a hamstrings stretch.
- Remember that you control the strength of the stretcher's isometric contraction. Provide resistance only up to the level that is comfortable for you, and then ask the stretcher to hold at that level of effort. It is not necessary for the stretcher to exert maximal effort for the stretch to be effective.
- To avoid losing your balance when you're acting as the partner, you need to control the session and give the commands so that you're prepared to resist the isometric contraction. Be sure the stretcher begins slowly during the isometric phase.
- Stop immediately if either you or the stretcher has pain, discuss what is happening to determine the cause, and correct the problem before continuing.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_0679P_1186_ebook_Main.jpg
Notice the partner's athletic stance, a modified forward lunge with the pelvis turned toward the line of force.
Safety for the Stretcher
When a stretcher is first learning facilitated stretching, it is common for him to work too hard, to lose focus, and to misunderstand the directions for each stretch. To keep the stretcher safe, be sure to proceed slowly, make sure he understands your instructions, and prevent him from overworking. It's important to be sure that the stretcher is positioned correctly for the stretch, that he is breathing throughout the sequence, and that he is pain free throughout.
Reducing Fatigue for Stretcher and Partner
Because facilitated stretching is an active form of work, it can be fatiguing for both the stretcher and the partner. Preventing fatigue can reduce the chance of injury.
For the stretcher, it's important to remember that maximal effort is not necessary. Only a moderate contraction of the target muscle is needed during the isometric phase. This can be especially important for stretchers who don't participate in a regular exercise program, because they may experience muscle soreness the next day if they work too hard.
For you, the partner, reducing fatigue becomes an issue if you are working with several people throughout the day. Injuries are more likely if you're fatigued. One of the benefits of facilitated stretching is that the stretcher does most of the work. As the partner, your main task is to assist the stretcher, not do the work for her. The stretcher moves the limb into position; you don't have to lift it or support it for her except for brief periods during the sequence. Relax whenever possible during the session, and expend only the effort necessary.
If you're using proper body mechanics, you will usually have a mechanical advantage when resisting the isometric contraction of the stretcher. This leverage allows you to accomplish your work with minimal physical effort.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Guidelines for stretching
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering.
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering. Opponents argue that stretching is a waste of time, can actually cause injury, and does nothing to improve performance or prevent soreness or injuries. Each side has a multitude of studies, reports, and anecdotal evidence to support its claims. While researchers advance the scientific investigation of stretching, the discussion regarding the benefits versus the risks of stretching continues on the playing field and in gyms, training rooms, and sports clinics.
Supporters of stretching generally agree that in the best of all possible exercise schemes, the athlete warms up, stretches, exercises, stretches again, and then cools down.
Stretch After Warm-Up
The physiological evidence is clear that warm muscles stretch more effectively than cold ones. A warm-up entails 10 to 15 minutes of light activity, similar to what the exercise or sport will be. This light activity increases blood flow to the muscles and gets them ready to work. Warming up also helps reduce stiffness, making the muscles more supple, so they stretch more easily (Bishop 2003a, b).Grant (1997) discusses other benefits of warming up, including increased production of synovial fluid to lubricate joints, increased oxygen exchange in the muscles, increased rate of nerve transmission, and more efficient cooperation of the muscles around a joint. By warming up first, stretching exercises will be more effective and efficient, the athlete will make greater gains than if stretching cold, and the risk of injury from stretching is greatly reduced.
Stretch Twice
In an ideal world, stretching would be included as part of the warm-up before exercise and as part of the cool-down after exercise. The reasoning behind stretching twice goes like this:
Stretching the muscles before a workout gets them ready to perform at their optimal length. This optimal length allows the muscles to develop the most power as they work. There is a preponderance of evidence that some types of stretching immediately before athletic activity may decrease explosive power and speed (Simic, Sarabon, and Markovic 2013; Behm and Chaouachi 2011). Research on the effects of preactivity stretching on endurance has not been definitive. Erring on the side of caution, most fitness professionals now recommend that preactivity stretching be confined to dynamic stretching as part of an overall warm-up routine.
Stretching the muscles after exercise while they're still warm brings them back to their optimal resting length. As muscles work they repeatedly contract and shorten, and they tend to stay short when the workout is over unless they're stretched again to their normal resting length. Postexercise stretching can be incorporated into the cool-down.
Stretch Once
If time is limited, we recommend skipping the preexercise stretching and concentrating on postexercise stretching. When preexercise stretching is eliminated, the warm-up routine before the main workout needs to be thorough. Postexercise stretching will return tight, tired muscles to their normal resting length as you go about the remainder of your daily activities. In postexercise stretching, there is some danger of overstretching the muscles because they may be too pliable. But if postexercise stretching is done with awareness, the risk is minimal and is far outweighed by the benefits.
Stretch Without Pain
We believe that stretching must be completely comfortable to be effective. In our experience, many people stretch incorrectly, believing that if something doesn't hurt a little, it's not working. It's a variation on the "no pain, no gain" mentality of exercise. Stretching until it hurts triggers the nervous system's natural response to pain: The muscle will resist lengthening to prevent possible injury to the tissue being stretched.
We advocate stretching the muscle just to its soft-tissue barrier - that is, the point at which you begin to feel some resistance to further stretching but no discomfort. The soft-tissue barrier is the starting point for the stretch.
"Stretch without pain" also applies to the rest of the body during a specific stretch. Even if you have no pain in the muscle you're stretching, pain or discomfort elsewhere in your body will negatively affect your results. For example, if you're having low back pain while you stretch your quadriceps, you won't be able to relax and fully engage in the stretch. Repositioning to relieve your back pain makes the quadriceps stretch more effective.
Remember That Flexibility Varies
Experienced stretchers are acutely aware that flexibility varies from day to day and from joint to joint. It's important to take each day as it comes and stretch as best you can. Just as those who change their diets to lose weight are advised not to step on the scale daily, you cannot measure improvement in flexibility daily; you are better off looking at your gains over the long term.
Recognize When to Stretch and When to Strengthen
Stretching tight muscles is a pleasurable activity when done correctly. But not all tight muscles need to be stretched. Some are already overstretched and need to be strengthened instead. The following paragraphs deal with the differences between hypertonic and eccentrically stressed muscles, called crossed syndrome, and the effects of neurological inhibition on muscle balance. This is a brief discussion of a complex topic, which we urge you to explore more fully in other writings devoted to the subject (Lewit 1999; Chaitow 2006; Liebenson 2006).
- Hypertonic muscles. When a muscle is short and tight because of habitual concentric contraction, it's called hypertonic. Myers (2008) refers to this as "locked short." A good example of short and tight can be found in the pectoralis major. Because most of us spend so much time sitting in front of computers, driving, or doing other activities that use our arms in front, the pectoralis muscles can become chronically hypertonic. Hypertonic muscles tend to feel fat or thick and tight to palpation. Stretching these muscles can help restore them to normal tone and length.
- Eccentrically stressed muscles. When a muscle is overstretched (usually due to postural stress), it will also feel tight; but instead of being short and tight, it is long and tight, or "locked long" (Myers 2008). It stays in a state of eccentric contraction, in which it constantly works to try to return to its normal length. The rhomboids provide a good example of muscles under eccentric stress. Most of us tend to be a little round shouldered. Hypertonic pectoralis muscles contribute to this posture. As a result, the rhomboids, which attach to the spine and the shoulder blades, are always fighting to counteract the force of the pectoralis muscles and pull the blades back to their normal position. The resulting eccentric stress causes the rhomboids to feel tight and sore to palpation. Muscles under eccentric stress tend to feel thin or stringy and tight. The correction for this condition is not to stretch the rhomboids but to strengthen them and to stretch the pectoralis muscles to restore balance between the chest and the back.
- Crossed syndrome. Similar patterns of muscle imbalance can be found elsewhere in the body. Czech researcher Vladimir Janda (1983) describes these patterns of imbalance as upper and lower crossed syndromes (figure 1.11).
- Muscle weakness due to inhibition. Even though Sherrington's law of reciprocal inhibition does not universally apply as previously believed, our experience with patients has taught us to act as if hypertonic muscles have a reflexive inhibitory effect on their opposing muscles. To use the pectoralis muscles and the rhomboids again as an example, when the pectoralis muscles are locked short, they not only contribute to the eccentric stress on the rhomboids by mechanically pulling against them but also appear to neurologically inhibit the rhomboids, making them less able to exert their normal strength to maintain postural balance. It is common to find that the rhomboids regain much of their normal strength and tone spontaneously after the pectoralis muscles are released through stretching. The same scenario is seen in many areas of the body. Because of this, we believe that stretching work should precede strengthening when one is trying to correct postural imbalances.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462652_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462653_ebook_Main.jpg
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Understand the function of ligaments
You can read Human Kinetics e-books on desktop, laptop, and various mobile devices, as long as you have authorized the device or e-reader app to read e-books protected by Adobe’s digital rights management (DRM).
Ligaments
In classic anatomy, ligaments are defined as fibrous bands of dense connective tissue that attach bones to each other - that is, ligaments hold joints together. Ligaments are composed primarily of collagen bundles in parallel, with a mixture of elastic fibers and fine collagen fibers interwoven. This arrangement creates tissue that is pliable enough to allow freedom of motion at the joint and strong enough to resist stretching forces.
Ligaments are traditionally described as running in parallel to the muscles. Their function is to provide support to the joint at the ends of its range of motion (figure 1.2).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453874_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462648_ebook_Main.jpg
Ligaments are traditionally described as (a) running in parallel to the muscles and (b) functioning primarily when under tension at the end of a joint's range of motion. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
As our understanding of the role of fascia throughout the body has deepened in recent years, many of our classic explanations are being challenged. Dutch osteopath and anatomist Jaap van der Wal has published a research paper that looks at the body from an architectural perspective rather than the typical anatomical dissection perspective (2009). He describes ligaments, based on his observations during careful dissections, as being continuous with the fascial sleeve in which muscles run; therefore, they are considered to run in series with muscle tissue and not as parallel, but separate, entities. Ligaments appear to provide support to the joint structure throughout the joint's range of motion. Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to more clearly describe the function of ligaments that form synovial joints (figure 1.3).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453883_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462649_ebook_Main.jpg
(a) Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to describe muscles and ligaments that run in series with each other. (b) The dynament is under tension and provides support in all joint positions. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
Even as our understanding of the structure and function of ligaments broadens to include this architectural viewpoint of the transmission of forces across joints, we must still be cautious with stretching. Ligamentous tissue has a different ratio of collagen to elastic fibers than does tendinous tissue. Ligaments provide the majority of resistance to movement at the end range of a joint. If they are repeatedly overstretched, they lose their ability to return to their normal length and to stabilize the joint. This creates joint laxity and sets the stage for joint injury.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Safety considerations for facilitated stretching
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work.
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work. You act only as a facilitator for the technique and make no attempt to increase the stretch. This factor addresses the concern of some investigators that poorly trained or inattentive partners could cause injury by being too vigorous in moving the limb to a new range of motion (Beaulieu 1981; Surburg 1981).
Stretching safely is of utmost concern for both the stretcher and the partner. Using proper body mechanics is extremely important during all phases of stretching, but especially during the isometric phase. The stretcher and the partner need to plan carefully and communicate freely with each other. The partner may be expending unnecessary energy (because of poor ergonomics) in applying the resistance, or the stretcher may be working too hard. As the partner you can be injured by carelessly using these techniques, and you can develop overuse syndromes unnecessarily.
Safety for the Partner
- As you work, pay attention to your legs and feet. Use an athletic stance to help you remain balanced and stable, especially as you resist the isometric contraction of the stretcher. Your athletic stance will typically be a modified lunge, with one foot forward and the other back, your pelvis turned toward the line of force. Keep your knees slightly bent, and focus on using your leg muscles. Keep your body weight evenly distributed over both feet, maintain length in your back and neck, and allow your head to sit comfortably over your shoulders (figure 2.6).
- Be aware of keeping your spine lengthened as you work, instead of collapsing into yourself. This lengthening helps prevent undue stress on your vertebrae.
- Keep your low back area flattened to reduce pressure on your lumbar spine. This will help prevent low back pain. Tighten your abdominal muscles to help keep your back from arching too far.
- Avoid unnecessary twisting or bending. Instead, have the stretcher move to accommodate you.
- Use the large muscles of the trunk and extremities to resist the isometric contraction instead of smaller, weaker muscles. For instance, have the stretcher push against your shoulder rather than your arm during a hamstrings stretch.
- Remember that you control the strength of the stretcher's isometric contraction. Provide resistance only up to the level that is comfortable for you, and then ask the stretcher to hold at that level of effort. It is not necessary for the stretcher to exert maximal effort for the stretch to be effective.
- To avoid losing your balance when you're acting as the partner, you need to control the session and give the commands so that you're prepared to resist the isometric contraction. Be sure the stretcher begins slowly during the isometric phase.
- Stop immediately if either you or the stretcher has pain, discuss what is happening to determine the cause, and correct the problem before continuing.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_0679P_1186_ebook_Main.jpg
Notice the partner's athletic stance, a modified forward lunge with the pelvis turned toward the line of force.
Safety for the Stretcher
When a stretcher is first learning facilitated stretching, it is common for him to work too hard, to lose focus, and to misunderstand the directions for each stretch. To keep the stretcher safe, be sure to proceed slowly, make sure he understands your instructions, and prevent him from overworking. It's important to be sure that the stretcher is positioned correctly for the stretch, that he is breathing throughout the sequence, and that he is pain free throughout.
Reducing Fatigue for Stretcher and Partner
Because facilitated stretching is an active form of work, it can be fatiguing for both the stretcher and the partner. Preventing fatigue can reduce the chance of injury.
For the stretcher, it's important to remember that maximal effort is not necessary. Only a moderate contraction of the target muscle is needed during the isometric phase. This can be especially important for stretchers who don't participate in a regular exercise program, because they may experience muscle soreness the next day if they work too hard.
For you, the partner, reducing fatigue becomes an issue if you are working with several people throughout the day. Injuries are more likely if you're fatigued. One of the benefits of facilitated stretching is that the stretcher does most of the work. As the partner, your main task is to assist the stretcher, not do the work for her. The stretcher moves the limb into position; you don't have to lift it or support it for her except for brief periods during the sequence. Relax whenever possible during the session, and expend only the effort necessary.
If you're using proper body mechanics, you will usually have a mechanical advantage when resisting the isometric contraction of the stretcher. This leverage allows you to accomplish your work with minimal physical effort.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Guidelines for stretching
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering.
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering. Opponents argue that stretching is a waste of time, can actually cause injury, and does nothing to improve performance or prevent soreness or injuries. Each side has a multitude of studies, reports, and anecdotal evidence to support its claims. While researchers advance the scientific investigation of stretching, the discussion regarding the benefits versus the risks of stretching continues on the playing field and in gyms, training rooms, and sports clinics.
Supporters of stretching generally agree that in the best of all possible exercise schemes, the athlete warms up, stretches, exercises, stretches again, and then cools down.
Stretch After Warm-Up
The physiological evidence is clear that warm muscles stretch more effectively than cold ones. A warm-up entails 10 to 15 minutes of light activity, similar to what the exercise or sport will be. This light activity increases blood flow to the muscles and gets them ready to work. Warming up also helps reduce stiffness, making the muscles more supple, so they stretch more easily (Bishop 2003a, b).Grant (1997) discusses other benefits of warming up, including increased production of synovial fluid to lubricate joints, increased oxygen exchange in the muscles, increased rate of nerve transmission, and more efficient cooperation of the muscles around a joint. By warming up first, stretching exercises will be more effective and efficient, the athlete will make greater gains than if stretching cold, and the risk of injury from stretching is greatly reduced.
Stretch Twice
In an ideal world, stretching would be included as part of the warm-up before exercise and as part of the cool-down after exercise. The reasoning behind stretching twice goes like this:
Stretching the muscles before a workout gets them ready to perform at their optimal length. This optimal length allows the muscles to develop the most power as they work. There is a preponderance of evidence that some types of stretching immediately before athletic activity may decrease explosive power and speed (Simic, Sarabon, and Markovic 2013; Behm and Chaouachi 2011). Research on the effects of preactivity stretching on endurance has not been definitive. Erring on the side of caution, most fitness professionals now recommend that preactivity stretching be confined to dynamic stretching as part of an overall warm-up routine.
Stretching the muscles after exercise while they're still warm brings them back to their optimal resting length. As muscles work they repeatedly contract and shorten, and they tend to stay short when the workout is over unless they're stretched again to their normal resting length. Postexercise stretching can be incorporated into the cool-down.
Stretch Once
If time is limited, we recommend skipping the preexercise stretching and concentrating on postexercise stretching. When preexercise stretching is eliminated, the warm-up routine before the main workout needs to be thorough. Postexercise stretching will return tight, tired muscles to their normal resting length as you go about the remainder of your daily activities. In postexercise stretching, there is some danger of overstretching the muscles because they may be too pliable. But if postexercise stretching is done with awareness, the risk is minimal and is far outweighed by the benefits.
Stretch Without Pain
We believe that stretching must be completely comfortable to be effective. In our experience, many people stretch incorrectly, believing that if something doesn't hurt a little, it's not working. It's a variation on the "no pain, no gain" mentality of exercise. Stretching until it hurts triggers the nervous system's natural response to pain: The muscle will resist lengthening to prevent possible injury to the tissue being stretched.
We advocate stretching the muscle just to its soft-tissue barrier - that is, the point at which you begin to feel some resistance to further stretching but no discomfort. The soft-tissue barrier is the starting point for the stretch.
"Stretch without pain" also applies to the rest of the body during a specific stretch. Even if you have no pain in the muscle you're stretching, pain or discomfort elsewhere in your body will negatively affect your results. For example, if you're having low back pain while you stretch your quadriceps, you won't be able to relax and fully engage in the stretch. Repositioning to relieve your back pain makes the quadriceps stretch more effective.
Remember That Flexibility Varies
Experienced stretchers are acutely aware that flexibility varies from day to day and from joint to joint. It's important to take each day as it comes and stretch as best you can. Just as those who change their diets to lose weight are advised not to step on the scale daily, you cannot measure improvement in flexibility daily; you are better off looking at your gains over the long term.
Recognize When to Stretch and When to Strengthen
Stretching tight muscles is a pleasurable activity when done correctly. But not all tight muscles need to be stretched. Some are already overstretched and need to be strengthened instead. The following paragraphs deal with the differences between hypertonic and eccentrically stressed muscles, called crossed syndrome, and the effects of neurological inhibition on muscle balance. This is a brief discussion of a complex topic, which we urge you to explore more fully in other writings devoted to the subject (Lewit 1999; Chaitow 2006; Liebenson 2006).
- Hypertonic muscles. When a muscle is short and tight because of habitual concentric contraction, it's called hypertonic. Myers (2008) refers to this as "locked short." A good example of short and tight can be found in the pectoralis major. Because most of us spend so much time sitting in front of computers, driving, or doing other activities that use our arms in front, the pectoralis muscles can become chronically hypertonic. Hypertonic muscles tend to feel fat or thick and tight to palpation. Stretching these muscles can help restore them to normal tone and length.
- Eccentrically stressed muscles. When a muscle is overstretched (usually due to postural stress), it will also feel tight; but instead of being short and tight, it is long and tight, or "locked long" (Myers 2008). It stays in a state of eccentric contraction, in which it constantly works to try to return to its normal length. The rhomboids provide a good example of muscles under eccentric stress. Most of us tend to be a little round shouldered. Hypertonic pectoralis muscles contribute to this posture. As a result, the rhomboids, which attach to the spine and the shoulder blades, are always fighting to counteract the force of the pectoralis muscles and pull the blades back to their normal position. The resulting eccentric stress causes the rhomboids to feel tight and sore to palpation. Muscles under eccentric stress tend to feel thin or stringy and tight. The correction for this condition is not to stretch the rhomboids but to strengthen them and to stretch the pectoralis muscles to restore balance between the chest and the back.
- Crossed syndrome. Similar patterns of muscle imbalance can be found elsewhere in the body. Czech researcher Vladimir Janda (1983) describes these patterns of imbalance as upper and lower crossed syndromes (figure 1.11).
- Muscle weakness due to inhibition. Even though Sherrington's law of reciprocal inhibition does not universally apply as previously believed, our experience with patients has taught us to act as if hypertonic muscles have a reflexive inhibitory effect on their opposing muscles. To use the pectoralis muscles and the rhomboids again as an example, when the pectoralis muscles are locked short, they not only contribute to the eccentric stress on the rhomboids by mechanically pulling against them but also appear to neurologically inhibit the rhomboids, making them less able to exert their normal strength to maintain postural balance. It is common to find that the rhomboids regain much of their normal strength and tone spontaneously after the pectoralis muscles are released through stretching. The same scenario is seen in many areas of the body. Because of this, we believe that stretching work should precede strengthening when one is trying to correct postural imbalances.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462652_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462653_ebook_Main.jpg
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Understand the function of ligaments
You can read Human Kinetics e-books on desktop, laptop, and various mobile devices, as long as you have authorized the device or e-reader app to read e-books protected by Adobe’s digital rights management (DRM).
Ligaments
In classic anatomy, ligaments are defined as fibrous bands of dense connective tissue that attach bones to each other - that is, ligaments hold joints together. Ligaments are composed primarily of collagen bundles in parallel, with a mixture of elastic fibers and fine collagen fibers interwoven. This arrangement creates tissue that is pliable enough to allow freedom of motion at the joint and strong enough to resist stretching forces.
Ligaments are traditionally described as running in parallel to the muscles. Their function is to provide support to the joint at the ends of its range of motion (figure 1.2).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453874_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462648_ebook_Main.jpg
Ligaments are traditionally described as (a) running in parallel to the muscles and (b) functioning primarily when under tension at the end of a joint's range of motion. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
As our understanding of the role of fascia throughout the body has deepened in recent years, many of our classic explanations are being challenged. Dutch osteopath and anatomist Jaap van der Wal has published a research paper that looks at the body from an architectural perspective rather than the typical anatomical dissection perspective (2009). He describes ligaments, based on his observations during careful dissections, as being continuous with the fascial sleeve in which muscles run; therefore, they are considered to run in series with muscle tissue and not as parallel, but separate, entities. Ligaments appear to provide support to the joint structure throughout the joint's range of motion. Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to more clearly describe the function of ligaments that form synovial joints (figure 1.3).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453883_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462649_ebook_Main.jpg
(a) Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to describe muscles and ligaments that run in series with each other. (b) The dynament is under tension and provides support in all joint positions. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
Even as our understanding of the structure and function of ligaments broadens to include this architectural viewpoint of the transmission of forces across joints, we must still be cautious with stretching. Ligamentous tissue has a different ratio of collagen to elastic fibers than does tendinous tissue. Ligaments provide the majority of resistance to movement at the end range of a joint. If they are repeatedly overstretched, they lose their ability to return to their normal length and to stabilize the joint. This creates joint laxity and sets the stage for joint injury.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Safety considerations for facilitated stretching
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work.
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work. You act only as a facilitator for the technique and make no attempt to increase the stretch. This factor addresses the concern of some investigators that poorly trained or inattentive partners could cause injury by being too vigorous in moving the limb to a new range of motion (Beaulieu 1981; Surburg 1981).
Stretching safely is of utmost concern for both the stretcher and the partner. Using proper body mechanics is extremely important during all phases of stretching, but especially during the isometric phase. The stretcher and the partner need to plan carefully and communicate freely with each other. The partner may be expending unnecessary energy (because of poor ergonomics) in applying the resistance, or the stretcher may be working too hard. As the partner you can be injured by carelessly using these techniques, and you can develop overuse syndromes unnecessarily.
Safety for the Partner
- As you work, pay attention to your legs and feet. Use an athletic stance to help you remain balanced and stable, especially as you resist the isometric contraction of the stretcher. Your athletic stance will typically be a modified lunge, with one foot forward and the other back, your pelvis turned toward the line of force. Keep your knees slightly bent, and focus on using your leg muscles. Keep your body weight evenly distributed over both feet, maintain length in your back and neck, and allow your head to sit comfortably over your shoulders (figure 2.6).
- Be aware of keeping your spine lengthened as you work, instead of collapsing into yourself. This lengthening helps prevent undue stress on your vertebrae.
- Keep your low back area flattened to reduce pressure on your lumbar spine. This will help prevent low back pain. Tighten your abdominal muscles to help keep your back from arching too far.
- Avoid unnecessary twisting or bending. Instead, have the stretcher move to accommodate you.
- Use the large muscles of the trunk and extremities to resist the isometric contraction instead of smaller, weaker muscles. For instance, have the stretcher push against your shoulder rather than your arm during a hamstrings stretch.
- Remember that you control the strength of the stretcher's isometric contraction. Provide resistance only up to the level that is comfortable for you, and then ask the stretcher to hold at that level of effort. It is not necessary for the stretcher to exert maximal effort for the stretch to be effective.
- To avoid losing your balance when you're acting as the partner, you need to control the session and give the commands so that you're prepared to resist the isometric contraction. Be sure the stretcher begins slowly during the isometric phase.
- Stop immediately if either you or the stretcher has pain, discuss what is happening to determine the cause, and correct the problem before continuing.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_0679P_1186_ebook_Main.jpg
Notice the partner's athletic stance, a modified forward lunge with the pelvis turned toward the line of force.
Safety for the Stretcher
When a stretcher is first learning facilitated stretching, it is common for him to work too hard, to lose focus, and to misunderstand the directions for each stretch. To keep the stretcher safe, be sure to proceed slowly, make sure he understands your instructions, and prevent him from overworking. It's important to be sure that the stretcher is positioned correctly for the stretch, that he is breathing throughout the sequence, and that he is pain free throughout.
Reducing Fatigue for Stretcher and Partner
Because facilitated stretching is an active form of work, it can be fatiguing for both the stretcher and the partner. Preventing fatigue can reduce the chance of injury.
For the stretcher, it's important to remember that maximal effort is not necessary. Only a moderate contraction of the target muscle is needed during the isometric phase. This can be especially important for stretchers who don't participate in a regular exercise program, because they may experience muscle soreness the next day if they work too hard.
For you, the partner, reducing fatigue becomes an issue if you are working with several people throughout the day. Injuries are more likely if you're fatigued. One of the benefits of facilitated stretching is that the stretcher does most of the work. As the partner, your main task is to assist the stretcher, not do the work for her. The stretcher moves the limb into position; you don't have to lift it or support it for her except for brief periods during the sequence. Relax whenever possible during the session, and expend only the effort necessary.
If you're using proper body mechanics, you will usually have a mechanical advantage when resisting the isometric contraction of the stretcher. This leverage allows you to accomplish your work with minimal physical effort.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Guidelines for stretching
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering.
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering. Opponents argue that stretching is a waste of time, can actually cause injury, and does nothing to improve performance or prevent soreness or injuries. Each side has a multitude of studies, reports, and anecdotal evidence to support its claims. While researchers advance the scientific investigation of stretching, the discussion regarding the benefits versus the risks of stretching continues on the playing field and in gyms, training rooms, and sports clinics.
Supporters of stretching generally agree that in the best of all possible exercise schemes, the athlete warms up, stretches, exercises, stretches again, and then cools down.
Stretch After Warm-Up
The physiological evidence is clear that warm muscles stretch more effectively than cold ones. A warm-up entails 10 to 15 minutes of light activity, similar to what the exercise or sport will be. This light activity increases blood flow to the muscles and gets them ready to work. Warming up also helps reduce stiffness, making the muscles more supple, so they stretch more easily (Bishop 2003a, b).Grant (1997) discusses other benefits of warming up, including increased production of synovial fluid to lubricate joints, increased oxygen exchange in the muscles, increased rate of nerve transmission, and more efficient cooperation of the muscles around a joint. By warming up first, stretching exercises will be more effective and efficient, the athlete will make greater gains than if stretching cold, and the risk of injury from stretching is greatly reduced.
Stretch Twice
In an ideal world, stretching would be included as part of the warm-up before exercise and as part of the cool-down after exercise. The reasoning behind stretching twice goes like this:
Stretching the muscles before a workout gets them ready to perform at their optimal length. This optimal length allows the muscles to develop the most power as they work. There is a preponderance of evidence that some types of stretching immediately before athletic activity may decrease explosive power and speed (Simic, Sarabon, and Markovic 2013; Behm and Chaouachi 2011). Research on the effects of preactivity stretching on endurance has not been definitive. Erring on the side of caution, most fitness professionals now recommend that preactivity stretching be confined to dynamic stretching as part of an overall warm-up routine.
Stretching the muscles after exercise while they're still warm brings them back to their optimal resting length. As muscles work they repeatedly contract and shorten, and they tend to stay short when the workout is over unless they're stretched again to their normal resting length. Postexercise stretching can be incorporated into the cool-down.
Stretch Once
If time is limited, we recommend skipping the preexercise stretching and concentrating on postexercise stretching. When preexercise stretching is eliminated, the warm-up routine before the main workout needs to be thorough. Postexercise stretching will return tight, tired muscles to their normal resting length as you go about the remainder of your daily activities. In postexercise stretching, there is some danger of overstretching the muscles because they may be too pliable. But if postexercise stretching is done with awareness, the risk is minimal and is far outweighed by the benefits.
Stretch Without Pain
We believe that stretching must be completely comfortable to be effective. In our experience, many people stretch incorrectly, believing that if something doesn't hurt a little, it's not working. It's a variation on the "no pain, no gain" mentality of exercise. Stretching until it hurts triggers the nervous system's natural response to pain: The muscle will resist lengthening to prevent possible injury to the tissue being stretched.
We advocate stretching the muscle just to its soft-tissue barrier - that is, the point at which you begin to feel some resistance to further stretching but no discomfort. The soft-tissue barrier is the starting point for the stretch.
"Stretch without pain" also applies to the rest of the body during a specific stretch. Even if you have no pain in the muscle you're stretching, pain or discomfort elsewhere in your body will negatively affect your results. For example, if you're having low back pain while you stretch your quadriceps, you won't be able to relax and fully engage in the stretch. Repositioning to relieve your back pain makes the quadriceps stretch more effective.
Remember That Flexibility Varies
Experienced stretchers are acutely aware that flexibility varies from day to day and from joint to joint. It's important to take each day as it comes and stretch as best you can. Just as those who change their diets to lose weight are advised not to step on the scale daily, you cannot measure improvement in flexibility daily; you are better off looking at your gains over the long term.
Recognize When to Stretch and When to Strengthen
Stretching tight muscles is a pleasurable activity when done correctly. But not all tight muscles need to be stretched. Some are already overstretched and need to be strengthened instead. The following paragraphs deal with the differences between hypertonic and eccentrically stressed muscles, called crossed syndrome, and the effects of neurological inhibition on muscle balance. This is a brief discussion of a complex topic, which we urge you to explore more fully in other writings devoted to the subject (Lewit 1999; Chaitow 2006; Liebenson 2006).
- Hypertonic muscles. When a muscle is short and tight because of habitual concentric contraction, it's called hypertonic. Myers (2008) refers to this as "locked short." A good example of short and tight can be found in the pectoralis major. Because most of us spend so much time sitting in front of computers, driving, or doing other activities that use our arms in front, the pectoralis muscles can become chronically hypertonic. Hypertonic muscles tend to feel fat or thick and tight to palpation. Stretching these muscles can help restore them to normal tone and length.
- Eccentrically stressed muscles. When a muscle is overstretched (usually due to postural stress), it will also feel tight; but instead of being short and tight, it is long and tight, or "locked long" (Myers 2008). It stays in a state of eccentric contraction, in which it constantly works to try to return to its normal length. The rhomboids provide a good example of muscles under eccentric stress. Most of us tend to be a little round shouldered. Hypertonic pectoralis muscles contribute to this posture. As a result, the rhomboids, which attach to the spine and the shoulder blades, are always fighting to counteract the force of the pectoralis muscles and pull the blades back to their normal position. The resulting eccentric stress causes the rhomboids to feel tight and sore to palpation. Muscles under eccentric stress tend to feel thin or stringy and tight. The correction for this condition is not to stretch the rhomboids but to strengthen them and to stretch the pectoralis muscles to restore balance between the chest and the back.
- Crossed syndrome. Similar patterns of muscle imbalance can be found elsewhere in the body. Czech researcher Vladimir Janda (1983) describes these patterns of imbalance as upper and lower crossed syndromes (figure 1.11).
- Muscle weakness due to inhibition. Even though Sherrington's law of reciprocal inhibition does not universally apply as previously believed, our experience with patients has taught us to act as if hypertonic muscles have a reflexive inhibitory effect on their opposing muscles. To use the pectoralis muscles and the rhomboids again as an example, when the pectoralis muscles are locked short, they not only contribute to the eccentric stress on the rhomboids by mechanically pulling against them but also appear to neurologically inhibit the rhomboids, making them less able to exert their normal strength to maintain postural balance. It is common to find that the rhomboids regain much of their normal strength and tone spontaneously after the pectoralis muscles are released through stretching. The same scenario is seen in many areas of the body. Because of this, we believe that stretching work should precede strengthening when one is trying to correct postural imbalances.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462652_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462653_ebook_Main.jpg
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Understand the function of ligaments
You can read Human Kinetics e-books on desktop, laptop, and various mobile devices, as long as you have authorized the device or e-reader app to read e-books protected by Adobe’s digital rights management (DRM).
Ligaments
In classic anatomy, ligaments are defined as fibrous bands of dense connective tissue that attach bones to each other - that is, ligaments hold joints together. Ligaments are composed primarily of collagen bundles in parallel, with a mixture of elastic fibers and fine collagen fibers interwoven. This arrangement creates tissue that is pliable enough to allow freedom of motion at the joint and strong enough to resist stretching forces.
Ligaments are traditionally described as running in parallel to the muscles. Their function is to provide support to the joint at the ends of its range of motion (figure 1.2).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453874_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462648_ebook_Main.jpg
Ligaments are traditionally described as (a) running in parallel to the muscles and (b) functioning primarily when under tension at the end of a joint's range of motion. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
As our understanding of the role of fascia throughout the body has deepened in recent years, many of our classic explanations are being challenged. Dutch osteopath and anatomist Jaap van der Wal has published a research paper that looks at the body from an architectural perspective rather than the typical anatomical dissection perspective (2009). He describes ligaments, based on his observations during careful dissections, as being continuous with the fascial sleeve in which muscles run; therefore, they are considered to run in series with muscle tissue and not as parallel, but separate, entities. Ligaments appear to provide support to the joint structure throughout the joint's range of motion. Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to more clearly describe the function of ligaments that form synovial joints (figure 1.3).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453883_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462649_ebook_Main.jpg
(a) Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to describe muscles and ligaments that run in series with each other. (b) The dynament is under tension and provides support in all joint positions. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
Even as our understanding of the structure and function of ligaments broadens to include this architectural viewpoint of the transmission of forces across joints, we must still be cautious with stretching. Ligamentous tissue has a different ratio of collagen to elastic fibers than does tendinous tissue. Ligaments provide the majority of resistance to movement at the end range of a joint. If they are repeatedly overstretched, they lose their ability to return to their normal length and to stabilize the joint. This creates joint laxity and sets the stage for joint injury.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Safety considerations for facilitated stretching
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work.
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work. You act only as a facilitator for the technique and make no attempt to increase the stretch. This factor addresses the concern of some investigators that poorly trained or inattentive partners could cause injury by being too vigorous in moving the limb to a new range of motion (Beaulieu 1981; Surburg 1981).
Stretching safely is of utmost concern for both the stretcher and the partner. Using proper body mechanics is extremely important during all phases of stretching, but especially during the isometric phase. The stretcher and the partner need to plan carefully and communicate freely with each other. The partner may be expending unnecessary energy (because of poor ergonomics) in applying the resistance, or the stretcher may be working too hard. As the partner you can be injured by carelessly using these techniques, and you can develop overuse syndromes unnecessarily.
Safety for the Partner
- As you work, pay attention to your legs and feet. Use an athletic stance to help you remain balanced and stable, especially as you resist the isometric contraction of the stretcher. Your athletic stance will typically be a modified lunge, with one foot forward and the other back, your pelvis turned toward the line of force. Keep your knees slightly bent, and focus on using your leg muscles. Keep your body weight evenly distributed over both feet, maintain length in your back and neck, and allow your head to sit comfortably over your shoulders (figure 2.6).
- Be aware of keeping your spine lengthened as you work, instead of collapsing into yourself. This lengthening helps prevent undue stress on your vertebrae.
- Keep your low back area flattened to reduce pressure on your lumbar spine. This will help prevent low back pain. Tighten your abdominal muscles to help keep your back from arching too far.
- Avoid unnecessary twisting or bending. Instead, have the stretcher move to accommodate you.
- Use the large muscles of the trunk and extremities to resist the isometric contraction instead of smaller, weaker muscles. For instance, have the stretcher push against your shoulder rather than your arm during a hamstrings stretch.
- Remember that you control the strength of the stretcher's isometric contraction. Provide resistance only up to the level that is comfortable for you, and then ask the stretcher to hold at that level of effort. It is not necessary for the stretcher to exert maximal effort for the stretch to be effective.
- To avoid losing your balance when you're acting as the partner, you need to control the session and give the commands so that you're prepared to resist the isometric contraction. Be sure the stretcher begins slowly during the isometric phase.
- Stop immediately if either you or the stretcher has pain, discuss what is happening to determine the cause, and correct the problem before continuing.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_0679P_1186_ebook_Main.jpg
Notice the partner's athletic stance, a modified forward lunge with the pelvis turned toward the line of force.
Safety for the Stretcher
When a stretcher is first learning facilitated stretching, it is common for him to work too hard, to lose focus, and to misunderstand the directions for each stretch. To keep the stretcher safe, be sure to proceed slowly, make sure he understands your instructions, and prevent him from overworking. It's important to be sure that the stretcher is positioned correctly for the stretch, that he is breathing throughout the sequence, and that he is pain free throughout.
Reducing Fatigue for Stretcher and Partner
Because facilitated stretching is an active form of work, it can be fatiguing for both the stretcher and the partner. Preventing fatigue can reduce the chance of injury.
For the stretcher, it's important to remember that maximal effort is not necessary. Only a moderate contraction of the target muscle is needed during the isometric phase. This can be especially important for stretchers who don't participate in a regular exercise program, because they may experience muscle soreness the next day if they work too hard.
For you, the partner, reducing fatigue becomes an issue if you are working with several people throughout the day. Injuries are more likely if you're fatigued. One of the benefits of facilitated stretching is that the stretcher does most of the work. As the partner, your main task is to assist the stretcher, not do the work for her. The stretcher moves the limb into position; you don't have to lift it or support it for her except for brief periods during the sequence. Relax whenever possible during the session, and expend only the effort necessary.
If you're using proper body mechanics, you will usually have a mechanical advantage when resisting the isometric contraction of the stretcher. This leverage allows you to accomplish your work with minimal physical effort.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Guidelines for stretching
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering.
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering. Opponents argue that stretching is a waste of time, can actually cause injury, and does nothing to improve performance or prevent soreness or injuries. Each side has a multitude of studies, reports, and anecdotal evidence to support its claims. While researchers advance the scientific investigation of stretching, the discussion regarding the benefits versus the risks of stretching continues on the playing field and in gyms, training rooms, and sports clinics.
Supporters of stretching generally agree that in the best of all possible exercise schemes, the athlete warms up, stretches, exercises, stretches again, and then cools down.
Stretch After Warm-Up
The physiological evidence is clear that warm muscles stretch more effectively than cold ones. A warm-up entails 10 to 15 minutes of light activity, similar to what the exercise or sport will be. This light activity increases blood flow to the muscles and gets them ready to work. Warming up also helps reduce stiffness, making the muscles more supple, so they stretch more easily (Bishop 2003a, b).Grant (1997) discusses other benefits of warming up, including increased production of synovial fluid to lubricate joints, increased oxygen exchange in the muscles, increased rate of nerve transmission, and more efficient cooperation of the muscles around a joint. By warming up first, stretching exercises will be more effective and efficient, the athlete will make greater gains than if stretching cold, and the risk of injury from stretching is greatly reduced.
Stretch Twice
In an ideal world, stretching would be included as part of the warm-up before exercise and as part of the cool-down after exercise. The reasoning behind stretching twice goes like this:
Stretching the muscles before a workout gets them ready to perform at their optimal length. This optimal length allows the muscles to develop the most power as they work. There is a preponderance of evidence that some types of stretching immediately before athletic activity may decrease explosive power and speed (Simic, Sarabon, and Markovic 2013; Behm and Chaouachi 2011). Research on the effects of preactivity stretching on endurance has not been definitive. Erring on the side of caution, most fitness professionals now recommend that preactivity stretching be confined to dynamic stretching as part of an overall warm-up routine.
Stretching the muscles after exercise while they're still warm brings them back to their optimal resting length. As muscles work they repeatedly contract and shorten, and they tend to stay short when the workout is over unless they're stretched again to their normal resting length. Postexercise stretching can be incorporated into the cool-down.
Stretch Once
If time is limited, we recommend skipping the preexercise stretching and concentrating on postexercise stretching. When preexercise stretching is eliminated, the warm-up routine before the main workout needs to be thorough. Postexercise stretching will return tight, tired muscles to their normal resting length as you go about the remainder of your daily activities. In postexercise stretching, there is some danger of overstretching the muscles because they may be too pliable. But if postexercise stretching is done with awareness, the risk is minimal and is far outweighed by the benefits.
Stretch Without Pain
We believe that stretching must be completely comfortable to be effective. In our experience, many people stretch incorrectly, believing that if something doesn't hurt a little, it's not working. It's a variation on the "no pain, no gain" mentality of exercise. Stretching until it hurts triggers the nervous system's natural response to pain: The muscle will resist lengthening to prevent possible injury to the tissue being stretched.
We advocate stretching the muscle just to its soft-tissue barrier - that is, the point at which you begin to feel some resistance to further stretching but no discomfort. The soft-tissue barrier is the starting point for the stretch.
"Stretch without pain" also applies to the rest of the body during a specific stretch. Even if you have no pain in the muscle you're stretching, pain or discomfort elsewhere in your body will negatively affect your results. For example, if you're having low back pain while you stretch your quadriceps, you won't be able to relax and fully engage in the stretch. Repositioning to relieve your back pain makes the quadriceps stretch more effective.
Remember That Flexibility Varies
Experienced stretchers are acutely aware that flexibility varies from day to day and from joint to joint. It's important to take each day as it comes and stretch as best you can. Just as those who change their diets to lose weight are advised not to step on the scale daily, you cannot measure improvement in flexibility daily; you are better off looking at your gains over the long term.
Recognize When to Stretch and When to Strengthen
Stretching tight muscles is a pleasurable activity when done correctly. But not all tight muscles need to be stretched. Some are already overstretched and need to be strengthened instead. The following paragraphs deal with the differences between hypertonic and eccentrically stressed muscles, called crossed syndrome, and the effects of neurological inhibition on muscle balance. This is a brief discussion of a complex topic, which we urge you to explore more fully in other writings devoted to the subject (Lewit 1999; Chaitow 2006; Liebenson 2006).
- Hypertonic muscles. When a muscle is short and tight because of habitual concentric contraction, it's called hypertonic. Myers (2008) refers to this as "locked short." A good example of short and tight can be found in the pectoralis major. Because most of us spend so much time sitting in front of computers, driving, or doing other activities that use our arms in front, the pectoralis muscles can become chronically hypertonic. Hypertonic muscles tend to feel fat or thick and tight to palpation. Stretching these muscles can help restore them to normal tone and length.
- Eccentrically stressed muscles. When a muscle is overstretched (usually due to postural stress), it will also feel tight; but instead of being short and tight, it is long and tight, or "locked long" (Myers 2008). It stays in a state of eccentric contraction, in which it constantly works to try to return to its normal length. The rhomboids provide a good example of muscles under eccentric stress. Most of us tend to be a little round shouldered. Hypertonic pectoralis muscles contribute to this posture. As a result, the rhomboids, which attach to the spine and the shoulder blades, are always fighting to counteract the force of the pectoralis muscles and pull the blades back to their normal position. The resulting eccentric stress causes the rhomboids to feel tight and sore to palpation. Muscles under eccentric stress tend to feel thin or stringy and tight. The correction for this condition is not to stretch the rhomboids but to strengthen them and to stretch the pectoralis muscles to restore balance between the chest and the back.
- Crossed syndrome. Similar patterns of muscle imbalance can be found elsewhere in the body. Czech researcher Vladimir Janda (1983) describes these patterns of imbalance as upper and lower crossed syndromes (figure 1.11).
- Muscle weakness due to inhibition. Even though Sherrington's law of reciprocal inhibition does not universally apply as previously believed, our experience with patients has taught us to act as if hypertonic muscles have a reflexive inhibitory effect on their opposing muscles. To use the pectoralis muscles and the rhomboids again as an example, when the pectoralis muscles are locked short, they not only contribute to the eccentric stress on the rhomboids by mechanically pulling against them but also appear to neurologically inhibit the rhomboids, making them less able to exert their normal strength to maintain postural balance. It is common to find that the rhomboids regain much of their normal strength and tone spontaneously after the pectoralis muscles are released through stretching. The same scenario is seen in many areas of the body. Because of this, we believe that stretching work should precede strengthening when one is trying to correct postural imbalances.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462652_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462653_ebook_Main.jpg
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Understand the function of ligaments
You can read Human Kinetics e-books on desktop, laptop, and various mobile devices, as long as you have authorized the device or e-reader app to read e-books protected by Adobe’s digital rights management (DRM).
Ligaments
In classic anatomy, ligaments are defined as fibrous bands of dense connective tissue that attach bones to each other - that is, ligaments hold joints together. Ligaments are composed primarily of collagen bundles in parallel, with a mixture of elastic fibers and fine collagen fibers interwoven. This arrangement creates tissue that is pliable enough to allow freedom of motion at the joint and strong enough to resist stretching forces.
Ligaments are traditionally described as running in parallel to the muscles. Their function is to provide support to the joint at the ends of its range of motion (figure 1.2).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453874_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462648_ebook_Main.jpg
Ligaments are traditionally described as (a) running in parallel to the muscles and (b) functioning primarily when under tension at the end of a joint's range of motion. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
As our understanding of the role of fascia throughout the body has deepened in recent years, many of our classic explanations are being challenged. Dutch osteopath and anatomist Jaap van der Wal has published a research paper that looks at the body from an architectural perspective rather than the typical anatomical dissection perspective (2009). He describes ligaments, based on his observations during careful dissections, as being continuous with the fascial sleeve in which muscles run; therefore, they are considered to run in series with muscle tissue and not as parallel, but separate, entities. Ligaments appear to provide support to the joint structure throughout the joint's range of motion. Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to more clearly describe the function of ligaments that form synovial joints (figure 1.3).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453883_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462649_ebook_Main.jpg
(a) Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to describe muscles and ligaments that run in series with each other. (b) The dynament is under tension and provides support in all joint positions. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
Even as our understanding of the structure and function of ligaments broadens to include this architectural viewpoint of the transmission of forces across joints, we must still be cautious with stretching. Ligamentous tissue has a different ratio of collagen to elastic fibers than does tendinous tissue. Ligaments provide the majority of resistance to movement at the end range of a joint. If they are repeatedly overstretched, they lose their ability to return to their normal length and to stabilize the joint. This creates joint laxity and sets the stage for joint injury.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Safety considerations for facilitated stretching
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work.
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work. You act only as a facilitator for the technique and make no attempt to increase the stretch. This factor addresses the concern of some investigators that poorly trained or inattentive partners could cause injury by being too vigorous in moving the limb to a new range of motion (Beaulieu 1981; Surburg 1981).
Stretching safely is of utmost concern for both the stretcher and the partner. Using proper body mechanics is extremely important during all phases of stretching, but especially during the isometric phase. The stretcher and the partner need to plan carefully and communicate freely with each other. The partner may be expending unnecessary energy (because of poor ergonomics) in applying the resistance, or the stretcher may be working too hard. As the partner you can be injured by carelessly using these techniques, and you can develop overuse syndromes unnecessarily.
Safety for the Partner
- As you work, pay attention to your legs and feet. Use an athletic stance to help you remain balanced and stable, especially as you resist the isometric contraction of the stretcher. Your athletic stance will typically be a modified lunge, with one foot forward and the other back, your pelvis turned toward the line of force. Keep your knees slightly bent, and focus on using your leg muscles. Keep your body weight evenly distributed over both feet, maintain length in your back and neck, and allow your head to sit comfortably over your shoulders (figure 2.6).
- Be aware of keeping your spine lengthened as you work, instead of collapsing into yourself. This lengthening helps prevent undue stress on your vertebrae.
- Keep your low back area flattened to reduce pressure on your lumbar spine. This will help prevent low back pain. Tighten your abdominal muscles to help keep your back from arching too far.
- Avoid unnecessary twisting or bending. Instead, have the stretcher move to accommodate you.
- Use the large muscles of the trunk and extremities to resist the isometric contraction instead of smaller, weaker muscles. For instance, have the stretcher push against your shoulder rather than your arm during a hamstrings stretch.
- Remember that you control the strength of the stretcher's isometric contraction. Provide resistance only up to the level that is comfortable for you, and then ask the stretcher to hold at that level of effort. It is not necessary for the stretcher to exert maximal effort for the stretch to be effective.
- To avoid losing your balance when you're acting as the partner, you need to control the session and give the commands so that you're prepared to resist the isometric contraction. Be sure the stretcher begins slowly during the isometric phase.
- Stop immediately if either you or the stretcher has pain, discuss what is happening to determine the cause, and correct the problem before continuing.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_0679P_1186_ebook_Main.jpg
Notice the partner's athletic stance, a modified forward lunge with the pelvis turned toward the line of force.
Safety for the Stretcher
When a stretcher is first learning facilitated stretching, it is common for him to work too hard, to lose focus, and to misunderstand the directions for each stretch. To keep the stretcher safe, be sure to proceed slowly, make sure he understands your instructions, and prevent him from overworking. It's important to be sure that the stretcher is positioned correctly for the stretch, that he is breathing throughout the sequence, and that he is pain free throughout.
Reducing Fatigue for Stretcher and Partner
Because facilitated stretching is an active form of work, it can be fatiguing for both the stretcher and the partner. Preventing fatigue can reduce the chance of injury.
For the stretcher, it's important to remember that maximal effort is not necessary. Only a moderate contraction of the target muscle is needed during the isometric phase. This can be especially important for stretchers who don't participate in a regular exercise program, because they may experience muscle soreness the next day if they work too hard.
For you, the partner, reducing fatigue becomes an issue if you are working with several people throughout the day. Injuries are more likely if you're fatigued. One of the benefits of facilitated stretching is that the stretcher does most of the work. As the partner, your main task is to assist the stretcher, not do the work for her. The stretcher moves the limb into position; you don't have to lift it or support it for her except for brief periods during the sequence. Relax whenever possible during the session, and expend only the effort necessary.
If you're using proper body mechanics, you will usually have a mechanical advantage when resisting the isometric contraction of the stretcher. This leverage allows you to accomplish your work with minimal physical effort.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Guidelines for stretching
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering.
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering. Opponents argue that stretching is a waste of time, can actually cause injury, and does nothing to improve performance or prevent soreness or injuries. Each side has a multitude of studies, reports, and anecdotal evidence to support its claims. While researchers advance the scientific investigation of stretching, the discussion regarding the benefits versus the risks of stretching continues on the playing field and in gyms, training rooms, and sports clinics.
Supporters of stretching generally agree that in the best of all possible exercise schemes, the athlete warms up, stretches, exercises, stretches again, and then cools down.
Stretch After Warm-Up
The physiological evidence is clear that warm muscles stretch more effectively than cold ones. A warm-up entails 10 to 15 minutes of light activity, similar to what the exercise or sport will be. This light activity increases blood flow to the muscles and gets them ready to work. Warming up also helps reduce stiffness, making the muscles more supple, so they stretch more easily (Bishop 2003a, b).Grant (1997) discusses other benefits of warming up, including increased production of synovial fluid to lubricate joints, increased oxygen exchange in the muscles, increased rate of nerve transmission, and more efficient cooperation of the muscles around a joint. By warming up first, stretching exercises will be more effective and efficient, the athlete will make greater gains than if stretching cold, and the risk of injury from stretching is greatly reduced.
Stretch Twice
In an ideal world, stretching would be included as part of the warm-up before exercise and as part of the cool-down after exercise. The reasoning behind stretching twice goes like this:
Stretching the muscles before a workout gets them ready to perform at their optimal length. This optimal length allows the muscles to develop the most power as they work. There is a preponderance of evidence that some types of stretching immediately before athletic activity may decrease explosive power and speed (Simic, Sarabon, and Markovic 2013; Behm and Chaouachi 2011). Research on the effects of preactivity stretching on endurance has not been definitive. Erring on the side of caution, most fitness professionals now recommend that preactivity stretching be confined to dynamic stretching as part of an overall warm-up routine.
Stretching the muscles after exercise while they're still warm brings them back to their optimal resting length. As muscles work they repeatedly contract and shorten, and they tend to stay short when the workout is over unless they're stretched again to their normal resting length. Postexercise stretching can be incorporated into the cool-down.
Stretch Once
If time is limited, we recommend skipping the preexercise stretching and concentrating on postexercise stretching. When preexercise stretching is eliminated, the warm-up routine before the main workout needs to be thorough. Postexercise stretching will return tight, tired muscles to their normal resting length as you go about the remainder of your daily activities. In postexercise stretching, there is some danger of overstretching the muscles because they may be too pliable. But if postexercise stretching is done with awareness, the risk is minimal and is far outweighed by the benefits.
Stretch Without Pain
We believe that stretching must be completely comfortable to be effective. In our experience, many people stretch incorrectly, believing that if something doesn't hurt a little, it's not working. It's a variation on the "no pain, no gain" mentality of exercise. Stretching until it hurts triggers the nervous system's natural response to pain: The muscle will resist lengthening to prevent possible injury to the tissue being stretched.
We advocate stretching the muscle just to its soft-tissue barrier - that is, the point at which you begin to feel some resistance to further stretching but no discomfort. The soft-tissue barrier is the starting point for the stretch.
"Stretch without pain" also applies to the rest of the body during a specific stretch. Even if you have no pain in the muscle you're stretching, pain or discomfort elsewhere in your body will negatively affect your results. For example, if you're having low back pain while you stretch your quadriceps, you won't be able to relax and fully engage in the stretch. Repositioning to relieve your back pain makes the quadriceps stretch more effective.
Remember That Flexibility Varies
Experienced stretchers are acutely aware that flexibility varies from day to day and from joint to joint. It's important to take each day as it comes and stretch as best you can. Just as those who change their diets to lose weight are advised not to step on the scale daily, you cannot measure improvement in flexibility daily; you are better off looking at your gains over the long term.
Recognize When to Stretch and When to Strengthen
Stretching tight muscles is a pleasurable activity when done correctly. But not all tight muscles need to be stretched. Some are already overstretched and need to be strengthened instead. The following paragraphs deal with the differences between hypertonic and eccentrically stressed muscles, called crossed syndrome, and the effects of neurological inhibition on muscle balance. This is a brief discussion of a complex topic, which we urge you to explore more fully in other writings devoted to the subject (Lewit 1999; Chaitow 2006; Liebenson 2006).
- Hypertonic muscles. When a muscle is short and tight because of habitual concentric contraction, it's called hypertonic. Myers (2008) refers to this as "locked short." A good example of short and tight can be found in the pectoralis major. Because most of us spend so much time sitting in front of computers, driving, or doing other activities that use our arms in front, the pectoralis muscles can become chronically hypertonic. Hypertonic muscles tend to feel fat or thick and tight to palpation. Stretching these muscles can help restore them to normal tone and length.
- Eccentrically stressed muscles. When a muscle is overstretched (usually due to postural stress), it will also feel tight; but instead of being short and tight, it is long and tight, or "locked long" (Myers 2008). It stays in a state of eccentric contraction, in which it constantly works to try to return to its normal length. The rhomboids provide a good example of muscles under eccentric stress. Most of us tend to be a little round shouldered. Hypertonic pectoralis muscles contribute to this posture. As a result, the rhomboids, which attach to the spine and the shoulder blades, are always fighting to counteract the force of the pectoralis muscles and pull the blades back to their normal position. The resulting eccentric stress causes the rhomboids to feel tight and sore to palpation. Muscles under eccentric stress tend to feel thin or stringy and tight. The correction for this condition is not to stretch the rhomboids but to strengthen them and to stretch the pectoralis muscles to restore balance between the chest and the back.
- Crossed syndrome. Similar patterns of muscle imbalance can be found elsewhere in the body. Czech researcher Vladimir Janda (1983) describes these patterns of imbalance as upper and lower crossed syndromes (figure 1.11).
- Muscle weakness due to inhibition. Even though Sherrington's law of reciprocal inhibition does not universally apply as previously believed, our experience with patients has taught us to act as if hypertonic muscles have a reflexive inhibitory effect on their opposing muscles. To use the pectoralis muscles and the rhomboids again as an example, when the pectoralis muscles are locked short, they not only contribute to the eccentric stress on the rhomboids by mechanically pulling against them but also appear to neurologically inhibit the rhomboids, making them less able to exert their normal strength to maintain postural balance. It is common to find that the rhomboids regain much of their normal strength and tone spontaneously after the pectoralis muscles are released through stretching. The same scenario is seen in many areas of the body. Because of this, we believe that stretching work should precede strengthening when one is trying to correct postural imbalances.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462652_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462653_ebook_Main.jpg
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Understand the function of ligaments
You can read Human Kinetics e-books on desktop, laptop, and various mobile devices, as long as you have authorized the device or e-reader app to read e-books protected by Adobe’s digital rights management (DRM).
Ligaments
In classic anatomy, ligaments are defined as fibrous bands of dense connective tissue that attach bones to each other - that is, ligaments hold joints together. Ligaments are composed primarily of collagen bundles in parallel, with a mixture of elastic fibers and fine collagen fibers interwoven. This arrangement creates tissue that is pliable enough to allow freedom of motion at the joint and strong enough to resist stretching forces.
Ligaments are traditionally described as running in parallel to the muscles. Their function is to provide support to the joint at the ends of its range of motion (figure 1.2).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453874_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462648_ebook_Main.jpg
Ligaments are traditionally described as (a) running in parallel to the muscles and (b) functioning primarily when under tension at the end of a joint's range of motion. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
As our understanding of the role of fascia throughout the body has deepened in recent years, many of our classic explanations are being challenged. Dutch osteopath and anatomist Jaap van der Wal has published a research paper that looks at the body from an architectural perspective rather than the typical anatomical dissection perspective (2009). He describes ligaments, based on his observations during careful dissections, as being continuous with the fascial sleeve in which muscles run; therefore, they are considered to run in series with muscle tissue and not as parallel, but separate, entities. Ligaments appear to provide support to the joint structure throughout the joint's range of motion. Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to more clearly describe the function of ligaments that form synovial joints (figure 1.3).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453883_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462649_ebook_Main.jpg
(a) Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to describe muscles and ligaments that run in series with each other. (b) The dynament is under tension and provides support in all joint positions. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
Even as our understanding of the structure and function of ligaments broadens to include this architectural viewpoint of the transmission of forces across joints, we must still be cautious with stretching. Ligamentous tissue has a different ratio of collagen to elastic fibers than does tendinous tissue. Ligaments provide the majority of resistance to movement at the end range of a joint. If they are repeatedly overstretched, they lose their ability to return to their normal length and to stabilize the joint. This creates joint laxity and sets the stage for joint injury.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Safety considerations for facilitated stretching
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work.
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work. You act only as a facilitator for the technique and make no attempt to increase the stretch. This factor addresses the concern of some investigators that poorly trained or inattentive partners could cause injury by being too vigorous in moving the limb to a new range of motion (Beaulieu 1981; Surburg 1981).
Stretching safely is of utmost concern for both the stretcher and the partner. Using proper body mechanics is extremely important during all phases of stretching, but especially during the isometric phase. The stretcher and the partner need to plan carefully and communicate freely with each other. The partner may be expending unnecessary energy (because of poor ergonomics) in applying the resistance, or the stretcher may be working too hard. As the partner you can be injured by carelessly using these techniques, and you can develop overuse syndromes unnecessarily.
Safety for the Partner
- As you work, pay attention to your legs and feet. Use an athletic stance to help you remain balanced and stable, especially as you resist the isometric contraction of the stretcher. Your athletic stance will typically be a modified lunge, with one foot forward and the other back, your pelvis turned toward the line of force. Keep your knees slightly bent, and focus on using your leg muscles. Keep your body weight evenly distributed over both feet, maintain length in your back and neck, and allow your head to sit comfortably over your shoulders (figure 2.6).
- Be aware of keeping your spine lengthened as you work, instead of collapsing into yourself. This lengthening helps prevent undue stress on your vertebrae.
- Keep your low back area flattened to reduce pressure on your lumbar spine. This will help prevent low back pain. Tighten your abdominal muscles to help keep your back from arching too far.
- Avoid unnecessary twisting or bending. Instead, have the stretcher move to accommodate you.
- Use the large muscles of the trunk and extremities to resist the isometric contraction instead of smaller, weaker muscles. For instance, have the stretcher push against your shoulder rather than your arm during a hamstrings stretch.
- Remember that you control the strength of the stretcher's isometric contraction. Provide resistance only up to the level that is comfortable for you, and then ask the stretcher to hold at that level of effort. It is not necessary for the stretcher to exert maximal effort for the stretch to be effective.
- To avoid losing your balance when you're acting as the partner, you need to control the session and give the commands so that you're prepared to resist the isometric contraction. Be sure the stretcher begins slowly during the isometric phase.
- Stop immediately if either you or the stretcher has pain, discuss what is happening to determine the cause, and correct the problem before continuing.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_0679P_1186_ebook_Main.jpg
Notice the partner's athletic stance, a modified forward lunge with the pelvis turned toward the line of force.
Safety for the Stretcher
When a stretcher is first learning facilitated stretching, it is common for him to work too hard, to lose focus, and to misunderstand the directions for each stretch. To keep the stretcher safe, be sure to proceed slowly, make sure he understands your instructions, and prevent him from overworking. It's important to be sure that the stretcher is positioned correctly for the stretch, that he is breathing throughout the sequence, and that he is pain free throughout.
Reducing Fatigue for Stretcher and Partner
Because facilitated stretching is an active form of work, it can be fatiguing for both the stretcher and the partner. Preventing fatigue can reduce the chance of injury.
For the stretcher, it's important to remember that maximal effort is not necessary. Only a moderate contraction of the target muscle is needed during the isometric phase. This can be especially important for stretchers who don't participate in a regular exercise program, because they may experience muscle soreness the next day if they work too hard.
For you, the partner, reducing fatigue becomes an issue if you are working with several people throughout the day. Injuries are more likely if you're fatigued. One of the benefits of facilitated stretching is that the stretcher does most of the work. As the partner, your main task is to assist the stretcher, not do the work for her. The stretcher moves the limb into position; you don't have to lift it or support it for her except for brief periods during the sequence. Relax whenever possible during the session, and expend only the effort necessary.
If you're using proper body mechanics, you will usually have a mechanical advantage when resisting the isometric contraction of the stretcher. This leverage allows you to accomplish your work with minimal physical effort.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Guidelines for stretching
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering.
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering. Opponents argue that stretching is a waste of time, can actually cause injury, and does nothing to improve performance or prevent soreness or injuries. Each side has a multitude of studies, reports, and anecdotal evidence to support its claims. While researchers advance the scientific investigation of stretching, the discussion regarding the benefits versus the risks of stretching continues on the playing field and in gyms, training rooms, and sports clinics.
Supporters of stretching generally agree that in the best of all possible exercise schemes, the athlete warms up, stretches, exercises, stretches again, and then cools down.
Stretch After Warm-Up
The physiological evidence is clear that warm muscles stretch more effectively than cold ones. A warm-up entails 10 to 15 minutes of light activity, similar to what the exercise or sport will be. This light activity increases blood flow to the muscles and gets them ready to work. Warming up also helps reduce stiffness, making the muscles more supple, so they stretch more easily (Bishop 2003a, b).Grant (1997) discusses other benefits of warming up, including increased production of synovial fluid to lubricate joints, increased oxygen exchange in the muscles, increased rate of nerve transmission, and more efficient cooperation of the muscles around a joint. By warming up first, stretching exercises will be more effective and efficient, the athlete will make greater gains than if stretching cold, and the risk of injury from stretching is greatly reduced.
Stretch Twice
In an ideal world, stretching would be included as part of the warm-up before exercise and as part of the cool-down after exercise. The reasoning behind stretching twice goes like this:
Stretching the muscles before a workout gets them ready to perform at their optimal length. This optimal length allows the muscles to develop the most power as they work. There is a preponderance of evidence that some types of stretching immediately before athletic activity may decrease explosive power and speed (Simic, Sarabon, and Markovic 2013; Behm and Chaouachi 2011). Research on the effects of preactivity stretching on endurance has not been definitive. Erring on the side of caution, most fitness professionals now recommend that preactivity stretching be confined to dynamic stretching as part of an overall warm-up routine.
Stretching the muscles after exercise while they're still warm brings them back to their optimal resting length. As muscles work they repeatedly contract and shorten, and they tend to stay short when the workout is over unless they're stretched again to their normal resting length. Postexercise stretching can be incorporated into the cool-down.
Stretch Once
If time is limited, we recommend skipping the preexercise stretching and concentrating on postexercise stretching. When preexercise stretching is eliminated, the warm-up routine before the main workout needs to be thorough. Postexercise stretching will return tight, tired muscles to their normal resting length as you go about the remainder of your daily activities. In postexercise stretching, there is some danger of overstretching the muscles because they may be too pliable. But if postexercise stretching is done with awareness, the risk is minimal and is far outweighed by the benefits.
Stretch Without Pain
We believe that stretching must be completely comfortable to be effective. In our experience, many people stretch incorrectly, believing that if something doesn't hurt a little, it's not working. It's a variation on the "no pain, no gain" mentality of exercise. Stretching until it hurts triggers the nervous system's natural response to pain: The muscle will resist lengthening to prevent possible injury to the tissue being stretched.
We advocate stretching the muscle just to its soft-tissue barrier - that is, the point at which you begin to feel some resistance to further stretching but no discomfort. The soft-tissue barrier is the starting point for the stretch.
"Stretch without pain" also applies to the rest of the body during a specific stretch. Even if you have no pain in the muscle you're stretching, pain or discomfort elsewhere in your body will negatively affect your results. For example, if you're having low back pain while you stretch your quadriceps, you won't be able to relax and fully engage in the stretch. Repositioning to relieve your back pain makes the quadriceps stretch more effective.
Remember That Flexibility Varies
Experienced stretchers are acutely aware that flexibility varies from day to day and from joint to joint. It's important to take each day as it comes and stretch as best you can. Just as those who change their diets to lose weight are advised not to step on the scale daily, you cannot measure improvement in flexibility daily; you are better off looking at your gains over the long term.
Recognize When to Stretch and When to Strengthen
Stretching tight muscles is a pleasurable activity when done correctly. But not all tight muscles need to be stretched. Some are already overstretched and need to be strengthened instead. The following paragraphs deal with the differences between hypertonic and eccentrically stressed muscles, called crossed syndrome, and the effects of neurological inhibition on muscle balance. This is a brief discussion of a complex topic, which we urge you to explore more fully in other writings devoted to the subject (Lewit 1999; Chaitow 2006; Liebenson 2006).
- Hypertonic muscles. When a muscle is short and tight because of habitual concentric contraction, it's called hypertonic. Myers (2008) refers to this as "locked short." A good example of short and tight can be found in the pectoralis major. Because most of us spend so much time sitting in front of computers, driving, or doing other activities that use our arms in front, the pectoralis muscles can become chronically hypertonic. Hypertonic muscles tend to feel fat or thick and tight to palpation. Stretching these muscles can help restore them to normal tone and length.
- Eccentrically stressed muscles. When a muscle is overstretched (usually due to postural stress), it will also feel tight; but instead of being short and tight, it is long and tight, or "locked long" (Myers 2008). It stays in a state of eccentric contraction, in which it constantly works to try to return to its normal length. The rhomboids provide a good example of muscles under eccentric stress. Most of us tend to be a little round shouldered. Hypertonic pectoralis muscles contribute to this posture. As a result, the rhomboids, which attach to the spine and the shoulder blades, are always fighting to counteract the force of the pectoralis muscles and pull the blades back to their normal position. The resulting eccentric stress causes the rhomboids to feel tight and sore to palpation. Muscles under eccentric stress tend to feel thin or stringy and tight. The correction for this condition is not to stretch the rhomboids but to strengthen them and to stretch the pectoralis muscles to restore balance between the chest and the back.
- Crossed syndrome. Similar patterns of muscle imbalance can be found elsewhere in the body. Czech researcher Vladimir Janda (1983) describes these patterns of imbalance as upper and lower crossed syndromes (figure 1.11).
- Muscle weakness due to inhibition. Even though Sherrington's law of reciprocal inhibition does not universally apply as previously believed, our experience with patients has taught us to act as if hypertonic muscles have a reflexive inhibitory effect on their opposing muscles. To use the pectoralis muscles and the rhomboids again as an example, when the pectoralis muscles are locked short, they not only contribute to the eccentric stress on the rhomboids by mechanically pulling against them but also appear to neurologically inhibit the rhomboids, making them less able to exert their normal strength to maintain postural balance. It is common to find that the rhomboids regain much of their normal strength and tone spontaneously after the pectoralis muscles are released through stretching. The same scenario is seen in many areas of the body. Because of this, we believe that stretching work should precede strengthening when one is trying to correct postural imbalances.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462652_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462653_ebook_Main.jpg
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Understand the function of ligaments
You can read Human Kinetics e-books on desktop, laptop, and various mobile devices, as long as you have authorized the device or e-reader app to read e-books protected by Adobe’s digital rights management (DRM).
Ligaments
In classic anatomy, ligaments are defined as fibrous bands of dense connective tissue that attach bones to each other - that is, ligaments hold joints together. Ligaments are composed primarily of collagen bundles in parallel, with a mixture of elastic fibers and fine collagen fibers interwoven. This arrangement creates tissue that is pliable enough to allow freedom of motion at the joint and strong enough to resist stretching forces.
Ligaments are traditionally described as running in parallel to the muscles. Their function is to provide support to the joint at the ends of its range of motion (figure 1.2).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453874_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462648_ebook_Main.jpg
Ligaments are traditionally described as (a) running in parallel to the muscles and (b) functioning primarily when under tension at the end of a joint's range of motion. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
As our understanding of the role of fascia throughout the body has deepened in recent years, many of our classic explanations are being challenged. Dutch osteopath and anatomist Jaap van der Wal has published a research paper that looks at the body from an architectural perspective rather than the typical anatomical dissection perspective (2009). He describes ligaments, based on his observations during careful dissections, as being continuous with the fascial sleeve in which muscles run; therefore, they are considered to run in series with muscle tissue and not as parallel, but separate, entities. Ligaments appear to provide support to the joint structure throughout the joint's range of motion. Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to more clearly describe the function of ligaments that form synovial joints (figure 1.3).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453883_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462649_ebook_Main.jpg
(a) Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to describe muscles and ligaments that run in series with each other. (b) The dynament is under tension and provides support in all joint positions. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
Even as our understanding of the structure and function of ligaments broadens to include this architectural viewpoint of the transmission of forces across joints, we must still be cautious with stretching. Ligamentous tissue has a different ratio of collagen to elastic fibers than does tendinous tissue. Ligaments provide the majority of resistance to movement at the end range of a joint. If they are repeatedly overstretched, they lose their ability to return to their normal length and to stabilize the joint. This creates joint laxity and sets the stage for joint injury.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Safety considerations for facilitated stretching
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work.
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work. You act only as a facilitator for the technique and make no attempt to increase the stretch. This factor addresses the concern of some investigators that poorly trained or inattentive partners could cause injury by being too vigorous in moving the limb to a new range of motion (Beaulieu 1981; Surburg 1981).
Stretching safely is of utmost concern for both the stretcher and the partner. Using proper body mechanics is extremely important during all phases of stretching, but especially during the isometric phase. The stretcher and the partner need to plan carefully and communicate freely with each other. The partner may be expending unnecessary energy (because of poor ergonomics) in applying the resistance, or the stretcher may be working too hard. As the partner you can be injured by carelessly using these techniques, and you can develop overuse syndromes unnecessarily.
Safety for the Partner
- As you work, pay attention to your legs and feet. Use an athletic stance to help you remain balanced and stable, especially as you resist the isometric contraction of the stretcher. Your athletic stance will typically be a modified lunge, with one foot forward and the other back, your pelvis turned toward the line of force. Keep your knees slightly bent, and focus on using your leg muscles. Keep your body weight evenly distributed over both feet, maintain length in your back and neck, and allow your head to sit comfortably over your shoulders (figure 2.6).
- Be aware of keeping your spine lengthened as you work, instead of collapsing into yourself. This lengthening helps prevent undue stress on your vertebrae.
- Keep your low back area flattened to reduce pressure on your lumbar spine. This will help prevent low back pain. Tighten your abdominal muscles to help keep your back from arching too far.
- Avoid unnecessary twisting or bending. Instead, have the stretcher move to accommodate you.
- Use the large muscles of the trunk and extremities to resist the isometric contraction instead of smaller, weaker muscles. For instance, have the stretcher push against your shoulder rather than your arm during a hamstrings stretch.
- Remember that you control the strength of the stretcher's isometric contraction. Provide resistance only up to the level that is comfortable for you, and then ask the stretcher to hold at that level of effort. It is not necessary for the stretcher to exert maximal effort for the stretch to be effective.
- To avoid losing your balance when you're acting as the partner, you need to control the session and give the commands so that you're prepared to resist the isometric contraction. Be sure the stretcher begins slowly during the isometric phase.
- Stop immediately if either you or the stretcher has pain, discuss what is happening to determine the cause, and correct the problem before continuing.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_0679P_1186_ebook_Main.jpg
Notice the partner's athletic stance, a modified forward lunge with the pelvis turned toward the line of force.
Safety for the Stretcher
When a stretcher is first learning facilitated stretching, it is common for him to work too hard, to lose focus, and to misunderstand the directions for each stretch. To keep the stretcher safe, be sure to proceed slowly, make sure he understands your instructions, and prevent him from overworking. It's important to be sure that the stretcher is positioned correctly for the stretch, that he is breathing throughout the sequence, and that he is pain free throughout.
Reducing Fatigue for Stretcher and Partner
Because facilitated stretching is an active form of work, it can be fatiguing for both the stretcher and the partner. Preventing fatigue can reduce the chance of injury.
For the stretcher, it's important to remember that maximal effort is not necessary. Only a moderate contraction of the target muscle is needed during the isometric phase. This can be especially important for stretchers who don't participate in a regular exercise program, because they may experience muscle soreness the next day if they work too hard.
For you, the partner, reducing fatigue becomes an issue if you are working with several people throughout the day. Injuries are more likely if you're fatigued. One of the benefits of facilitated stretching is that the stretcher does most of the work. As the partner, your main task is to assist the stretcher, not do the work for her. The stretcher moves the limb into position; you don't have to lift it or support it for her except for brief periods during the sequence. Relax whenever possible during the session, and expend only the effort necessary.
If you're using proper body mechanics, you will usually have a mechanical advantage when resisting the isometric contraction of the stretcher. This leverage allows you to accomplish your work with minimal physical effort.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Guidelines for stretching
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering.
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering. Opponents argue that stretching is a waste of time, can actually cause injury, and does nothing to improve performance or prevent soreness or injuries. Each side has a multitude of studies, reports, and anecdotal evidence to support its claims. While researchers advance the scientific investigation of stretching, the discussion regarding the benefits versus the risks of stretching continues on the playing field and in gyms, training rooms, and sports clinics.
Supporters of stretching generally agree that in the best of all possible exercise schemes, the athlete warms up, stretches, exercises, stretches again, and then cools down.
Stretch After Warm-Up
The physiological evidence is clear that warm muscles stretch more effectively than cold ones. A warm-up entails 10 to 15 minutes of light activity, similar to what the exercise or sport will be. This light activity increases blood flow to the muscles and gets them ready to work. Warming up also helps reduce stiffness, making the muscles more supple, so they stretch more easily (Bishop 2003a, b).Grant (1997) discusses other benefits of warming up, including increased production of synovial fluid to lubricate joints, increased oxygen exchange in the muscles, increased rate of nerve transmission, and more efficient cooperation of the muscles around a joint. By warming up first, stretching exercises will be more effective and efficient, the athlete will make greater gains than if stretching cold, and the risk of injury from stretching is greatly reduced.
Stretch Twice
In an ideal world, stretching would be included as part of the warm-up before exercise and as part of the cool-down after exercise. The reasoning behind stretching twice goes like this:
Stretching the muscles before a workout gets them ready to perform at their optimal length. This optimal length allows the muscles to develop the most power as they work. There is a preponderance of evidence that some types of stretching immediately before athletic activity may decrease explosive power and speed (Simic, Sarabon, and Markovic 2013; Behm and Chaouachi 2011). Research on the effects of preactivity stretching on endurance has not been definitive. Erring on the side of caution, most fitness professionals now recommend that preactivity stretching be confined to dynamic stretching as part of an overall warm-up routine.
Stretching the muscles after exercise while they're still warm brings them back to their optimal resting length. As muscles work they repeatedly contract and shorten, and they tend to stay short when the workout is over unless they're stretched again to their normal resting length. Postexercise stretching can be incorporated into the cool-down.
Stretch Once
If time is limited, we recommend skipping the preexercise stretching and concentrating on postexercise stretching. When preexercise stretching is eliminated, the warm-up routine before the main workout needs to be thorough. Postexercise stretching will return tight, tired muscles to their normal resting length as you go about the remainder of your daily activities. In postexercise stretching, there is some danger of overstretching the muscles because they may be too pliable. But if postexercise stretching is done with awareness, the risk is minimal and is far outweighed by the benefits.
Stretch Without Pain
We believe that stretching must be completely comfortable to be effective. In our experience, many people stretch incorrectly, believing that if something doesn't hurt a little, it's not working. It's a variation on the "no pain, no gain" mentality of exercise. Stretching until it hurts triggers the nervous system's natural response to pain: The muscle will resist lengthening to prevent possible injury to the tissue being stretched.
We advocate stretching the muscle just to its soft-tissue barrier - that is, the point at which you begin to feel some resistance to further stretching but no discomfort. The soft-tissue barrier is the starting point for the stretch.
"Stretch without pain" also applies to the rest of the body during a specific stretch. Even if you have no pain in the muscle you're stretching, pain or discomfort elsewhere in your body will negatively affect your results. For example, if you're having low back pain while you stretch your quadriceps, you won't be able to relax and fully engage in the stretch. Repositioning to relieve your back pain makes the quadriceps stretch more effective.
Remember That Flexibility Varies
Experienced stretchers are acutely aware that flexibility varies from day to day and from joint to joint. It's important to take each day as it comes and stretch as best you can. Just as those who change their diets to lose weight are advised not to step on the scale daily, you cannot measure improvement in flexibility daily; you are better off looking at your gains over the long term.
Recognize When to Stretch and When to Strengthen
Stretching tight muscles is a pleasurable activity when done correctly. But not all tight muscles need to be stretched. Some are already overstretched and need to be strengthened instead. The following paragraphs deal with the differences between hypertonic and eccentrically stressed muscles, called crossed syndrome, and the effects of neurological inhibition on muscle balance. This is a brief discussion of a complex topic, which we urge you to explore more fully in other writings devoted to the subject (Lewit 1999; Chaitow 2006; Liebenson 2006).
- Hypertonic muscles. When a muscle is short and tight because of habitual concentric contraction, it's called hypertonic. Myers (2008) refers to this as "locked short." A good example of short and tight can be found in the pectoralis major. Because most of us spend so much time sitting in front of computers, driving, or doing other activities that use our arms in front, the pectoralis muscles can become chronically hypertonic. Hypertonic muscles tend to feel fat or thick and tight to palpation. Stretching these muscles can help restore them to normal tone and length.
- Eccentrically stressed muscles. When a muscle is overstretched (usually due to postural stress), it will also feel tight; but instead of being short and tight, it is long and tight, or "locked long" (Myers 2008). It stays in a state of eccentric contraction, in which it constantly works to try to return to its normal length. The rhomboids provide a good example of muscles under eccentric stress. Most of us tend to be a little round shouldered. Hypertonic pectoralis muscles contribute to this posture. As a result, the rhomboids, which attach to the spine and the shoulder blades, are always fighting to counteract the force of the pectoralis muscles and pull the blades back to their normal position. The resulting eccentric stress causes the rhomboids to feel tight and sore to palpation. Muscles under eccentric stress tend to feel thin or stringy and tight. The correction for this condition is not to stretch the rhomboids but to strengthen them and to stretch the pectoralis muscles to restore balance between the chest and the back.
- Crossed syndrome. Similar patterns of muscle imbalance can be found elsewhere in the body. Czech researcher Vladimir Janda (1983) describes these patterns of imbalance as upper and lower crossed syndromes (figure 1.11).
- Muscle weakness due to inhibition. Even though Sherrington's law of reciprocal inhibition does not universally apply as previously believed, our experience with patients has taught us to act as if hypertonic muscles have a reflexive inhibitory effect on their opposing muscles. To use the pectoralis muscles and the rhomboids again as an example, when the pectoralis muscles are locked short, they not only contribute to the eccentric stress on the rhomboids by mechanically pulling against them but also appear to neurologically inhibit the rhomboids, making them less able to exert their normal strength to maintain postural balance. It is common to find that the rhomboids regain much of their normal strength and tone spontaneously after the pectoralis muscles are released through stretching. The same scenario is seen in many areas of the body. Because of this, we believe that stretching work should precede strengthening when one is trying to correct postural imbalances.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462652_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462653_ebook_Main.jpg
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Understand the function of ligaments
You can read Human Kinetics e-books on desktop, laptop, and various mobile devices, as long as you have authorized the device or e-reader app to read e-books protected by Adobe’s digital rights management (DRM).
Ligaments
In classic anatomy, ligaments are defined as fibrous bands of dense connective tissue that attach bones to each other - that is, ligaments hold joints together. Ligaments are composed primarily of collagen bundles in parallel, with a mixture of elastic fibers and fine collagen fibers interwoven. This arrangement creates tissue that is pliable enough to allow freedom of motion at the joint and strong enough to resist stretching forces.
Ligaments are traditionally described as running in parallel to the muscles. Their function is to provide support to the joint at the ends of its range of motion (figure 1.2).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453874_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462648_ebook_Main.jpg
Ligaments are traditionally described as (a) running in parallel to the muscles and (b) functioning primarily when under tension at the end of a joint's range of motion. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
As our understanding of the role of fascia throughout the body has deepened in recent years, many of our classic explanations are being challenged. Dutch osteopath and anatomist Jaap van der Wal has published a research paper that looks at the body from an architectural perspective rather than the typical anatomical dissection perspective (2009). He describes ligaments, based on his observations during careful dissections, as being continuous with the fascial sleeve in which muscles run; therefore, they are considered to run in series with muscle tissue and not as parallel, but separate, entities. Ligaments appear to provide support to the joint structure throughout the joint's range of motion. Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to more clearly describe the function of ligaments that form synovial joints (figure 1.3).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453883_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462649_ebook_Main.jpg
(a) Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to describe muscles and ligaments that run in series with each other. (b) The dynament is under tension and provides support in all joint positions. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
Even as our understanding of the structure and function of ligaments broadens to include this architectural viewpoint of the transmission of forces across joints, we must still be cautious with stretching. Ligamentous tissue has a different ratio of collagen to elastic fibers than does tendinous tissue. Ligaments provide the majority of resistance to movement at the end range of a joint. If they are repeatedly overstretched, they lose their ability to return to their normal length and to stabilize the joint. This creates joint laxity and sets the stage for joint injury.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Safety considerations for facilitated stretching
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work.
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work. You act only as a facilitator for the technique and make no attempt to increase the stretch. This factor addresses the concern of some investigators that poorly trained or inattentive partners could cause injury by being too vigorous in moving the limb to a new range of motion (Beaulieu 1981; Surburg 1981).
Stretching safely is of utmost concern for both the stretcher and the partner. Using proper body mechanics is extremely important during all phases of stretching, but especially during the isometric phase. The stretcher and the partner need to plan carefully and communicate freely with each other. The partner may be expending unnecessary energy (because of poor ergonomics) in applying the resistance, or the stretcher may be working too hard. As the partner you can be injured by carelessly using these techniques, and you can develop overuse syndromes unnecessarily.
Safety for the Partner
- As you work, pay attention to your legs and feet. Use an athletic stance to help you remain balanced and stable, especially as you resist the isometric contraction of the stretcher. Your athletic stance will typically be a modified lunge, with one foot forward and the other back, your pelvis turned toward the line of force. Keep your knees slightly bent, and focus on using your leg muscles. Keep your body weight evenly distributed over both feet, maintain length in your back and neck, and allow your head to sit comfortably over your shoulders (figure 2.6).
- Be aware of keeping your spine lengthened as you work, instead of collapsing into yourself. This lengthening helps prevent undue stress on your vertebrae.
- Keep your low back area flattened to reduce pressure on your lumbar spine. This will help prevent low back pain. Tighten your abdominal muscles to help keep your back from arching too far.
- Avoid unnecessary twisting or bending. Instead, have the stretcher move to accommodate you.
- Use the large muscles of the trunk and extremities to resist the isometric contraction instead of smaller, weaker muscles. For instance, have the stretcher push against your shoulder rather than your arm during a hamstrings stretch.
- Remember that you control the strength of the stretcher's isometric contraction. Provide resistance only up to the level that is comfortable for you, and then ask the stretcher to hold at that level of effort. It is not necessary for the stretcher to exert maximal effort for the stretch to be effective.
- To avoid losing your balance when you're acting as the partner, you need to control the session and give the commands so that you're prepared to resist the isometric contraction. Be sure the stretcher begins slowly during the isometric phase.
- Stop immediately if either you or the stretcher has pain, discuss what is happening to determine the cause, and correct the problem before continuing.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_0679P_1186_ebook_Main.jpg
Notice the partner's athletic stance, a modified forward lunge with the pelvis turned toward the line of force.
Safety for the Stretcher
When a stretcher is first learning facilitated stretching, it is common for him to work too hard, to lose focus, and to misunderstand the directions for each stretch. To keep the stretcher safe, be sure to proceed slowly, make sure he understands your instructions, and prevent him from overworking. It's important to be sure that the stretcher is positioned correctly for the stretch, that he is breathing throughout the sequence, and that he is pain free throughout.
Reducing Fatigue for Stretcher and Partner
Because facilitated stretching is an active form of work, it can be fatiguing for both the stretcher and the partner. Preventing fatigue can reduce the chance of injury.
For the stretcher, it's important to remember that maximal effort is not necessary. Only a moderate contraction of the target muscle is needed during the isometric phase. This can be especially important for stretchers who don't participate in a regular exercise program, because they may experience muscle soreness the next day if they work too hard.
For you, the partner, reducing fatigue becomes an issue if you are working with several people throughout the day. Injuries are more likely if you're fatigued. One of the benefits of facilitated stretching is that the stretcher does most of the work. As the partner, your main task is to assist the stretcher, not do the work for her. The stretcher moves the limb into position; you don't have to lift it or support it for her except for brief periods during the sequence. Relax whenever possible during the session, and expend only the effort necessary.
If you're using proper body mechanics, you will usually have a mechanical advantage when resisting the isometric contraction of the stretcher. This leverage allows you to accomplish your work with minimal physical effort.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Guidelines for stretching
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering.
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering. Opponents argue that stretching is a waste of time, can actually cause injury, and does nothing to improve performance or prevent soreness or injuries. Each side has a multitude of studies, reports, and anecdotal evidence to support its claims. While researchers advance the scientific investigation of stretching, the discussion regarding the benefits versus the risks of stretching continues on the playing field and in gyms, training rooms, and sports clinics.
Supporters of stretching generally agree that in the best of all possible exercise schemes, the athlete warms up, stretches, exercises, stretches again, and then cools down.
Stretch After Warm-Up
The physiological evidence is clear that warm muscles stretch more effectively than cold ones. A warm-up entails 10 to 15 minutes of light activity, similar to what the exercise or sport will be. This light activity increases blood flow to the muscles and gets them ready to work. Warming up also helps reduce stiffness, making the muscles more supple, so they stretch more easily (Bishop 2003a, b).Grant (1997) discusses other benefits of warming up, including increased production of synovial fluid to lubricate joints, increased oxygen exchange in the muscles, increased rate of nerve transmission, and more efficient cooperation of the muscles around a joint. By warming up first, stretching exercises will be more effective and efficient, the athlete will make greater gains than if stretching cold, and the risk of injury from stretching is greatly reduced.
Stretch Twice
In an ideal world, stretching would be included as part of the warm-up before exercise and as part of the cool-down after exercise. The reasoning behind stretching twice goes like this:
Stretching the muscles before a workout gets them ready to perform at their optimal length. This optimal length allows the muscles to develop the most power as they work. There is a preponderance of evidence that some types of stretching immediately before athletic activity may decrease explosive power and speed (Simic, Sarabon, and Markovic 2013; Behm and Chaouachi 2011). Research on the effects of preactivity stretching on endurance has not been definitive. Erring on the side of caution, most fitness professionals now recommend that preactivity stretching be confined to dynamic stretching as part of an overall warm-up routine.
Stretching the muscles after exercise while they're still warm brings them back to their optimal resting length. As muscles work they repeatedly contract and shorten, and they tend to stay short when the workout is over unless they're stretched again to their normal resting length. Postexercise stretching can be incorporated into the cool-down.
Stretch Once
If time is limited, we recommend skipping the preexercise stretching and concentrating on postexercise stretching. When preexercise stretching is eliminated, the warm-up routine before the main workout needs to be thorough. Postexercise stretching will return tight, tired muscles to their normal resting length as you go about the remainder of your daily activities. In postexercise stretching, there is some danger of overstretching the muscles because they may be too pliable. But if postexercise stretching is done with awareness, the risk is minimal and is far outweighed by the benefits.
Stretch Without Pain
We believe that stretching must be completely comfortable to be effective. In our experience, many people stretch incorrectly, believing that if something doesn't hurt a little, it's not working. It's a variation on the "no pain, no gain" mentality of exercise. Stretching until it hurts triggers the nervous system's natural response to pain: The muscle will resist lengthening to prevent possible injury to the tissue being stretched.
We advocate stretching the muscle just to its soft-tissue barrier - that is, the point at which you begin to feel some resistance to further stretching but no discomfort. The soft-tissue barrier is the starting point for the stretch.
"Stretch without pain" also applies to the rest of the body during a specific stretch. Even if you have no pain in the muscle you're stretching, pain or discomfort elsewhere in your body will negatively affect your results. For example, if you're having low back pain while you stretch your quadriceps, you won't be able to relax and fully engage in the stretch. Repositioning to relieve your back pain makes the quadriceps stretch more effective.
Remember That Flexibility Varies
Experienced stretchers are acutely aware that flexibility varies from day to day and from joint to joint. It's important to take each day as it comes and stretch as best you can. Just as those who change their diets to lose weight are advised not to step on the scale daily, you cannot measure improvement in flexibility daily; you are better off looking at your gains over the long term.
Recognize When to Stretch and When to Strengthen
Stretching tight muscles is a pleasurable activity when done correctly. But not all tight muscles need to be stretched. Some are already overstretched and need to be strengthened instead. The following paragraphs deal with the differences between hypertonic and eccentrically stressed muscles, called crossed syndrome, and the effects of neurological inhibition on muscle balance. This is a brief discussion of a complex topic, which we urge you to explore more fully in other writings devoted to the subject (Lewit 1999; Chaitow 2006; Liebenson 2006).
- Hypertonic muscles. When a muscle is short and tight because of habitual concentric contraction, it's called hypertonic. Myers (2008) refers to this as "locked short." A good example of short and tight can be found in the pectoralis major. Because most of us spend so much time sitting in front of computers, driving, or doing other activities that use our arms in front, the pectoralis muscles can become chronically hypertonic. Hypertonic muscles tend to feel fat or thick and tight to palpation. Stretching these muscles can help restore them to normal tone and length.
- Eccentrically stressed muscles. When a muscle is overstretched (usually due to postural stress), it will also feel tight; but instead of being short and tight, it is long and tight, or "locked long" (Myers 2008). It stays in a state of eccentric contraction, in which it constantly works to try to return to its normal length. The rhomboids provide a good example of muscles under eccentric stress. Most of us tend to be a little round shouldered. Hypertonic pectoralis muscles contribute to this posture. As a result, the rhomboids, which attach to the spine and the shoulder blades, are always fighting to counteract the force of the pectoralis muscles and pull the blades back to their normal position. The resulting eccentric stress causes the rhomboids to feel tight and sore to palpation. Muscles under eccentric stress tend to feel thin or stringy and tight. The correction for this condition is not to stretch the rhomboids but to strengthen them and to stretch the pectoralis muscles to restore balance between the chest and the back.
- Crossed syndrome. Similar patterns of muscle imbalance can be found elsewhere in the body. Czech researcher Vladimir Janda (1983) describes these patterns of imbalance as upper and lower crossed syndromes (figure 1.11).
- Muscle weakness due to inhibition. Even though Sherrington's law of reciprocal inhibition does not universally apply as previously believed, our experience with patients has taught us to act as if hypertonic muscles have a reflexive inhibitory effect on their opposing muscles. To use the pectoralis muscles and the rhomboids again as an example, when the pectoralis muscles are locked short, they not only contribute to the eccentric stress on the rhomboids by mechanically pulling against them but also appear to neurologically inhibit the rhomboids, making them less able to exert their normal strength to maintain postural balance. It is common to find that the rhomboids regain much of their normal strength and tone spontaneously after the pectoralis muscles are released through stretching. The same scenario is seen in many areas of the body. Because of this, we believe that stretching work should precede strengthening when one is trying to correct postural imbalances.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462652_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462653_ebook_Main.jpg
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Understand the function of ligaments
You can read Human Kinetics e-books on desktop, laptop, and various mobile devices, as long as you have authorized the device or e-reader app to read e-books protected by Adobe’s digital rights management (DRM).
Ligaments
In classic anatomy, ligaments are defined as fibrous bands of dense connective tissue that attach bones to each other - that is, ligaments hold joints together. Ligaments are composed primarily of collagen bundles in parallel, with a mixture of elastic fibers and fine collagen fibers interwoven. This arrangement creates tissue that is pliable enough to allow freedom of motion at the joint and strong enough to resist stretching forces.
Ligaments are traditionally described as running in parallel to the muscles. Their function is to provide support to the joint at the ends of its range of motion (figure 1.2).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453874_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462648_ebook_Main.jpg
Ligaments are traditionally described as (a) running in parallel to the muscles and (b) functioning primarily when under tension at the end of a joint's range of motion. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
As our understanding of the role of fascia throughout the body has deepened in recent years, many of our classic explanations are being challenged. Dutch osteopath and anatomist Jaap van der Wal has published a research paper that looks at the body from an architectural perspective rather than the typical anatomical dissection perspective (2009). He describes ligaments, based on his observations during careful dissections, as being continuous with the fascial sleeve in which muscles run; therefore, they are considered to run in series with muscle tissue and not as parallel, but separate, entities. Ligaments appear to provide support to the joint structure throughout the joint's range of motion. Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to more clearly describe the function of ligaments that form synovial joints (figure 1.3).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453883_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462649_ebook_Main.jpg
(a) Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to describe muscles and ligaments that run in series with each other. (b) The dynament is under tension and provides support in all joint positions. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
Even as our understanding of the structure and function of ligaments broadens to include this architectural viewpoint of the transmission of forces across joints, we must still be cautious with stretching. Ligamentous tissue has a different ratio of collagen to elastic fibers than does tendinous tissue. Ligaments provide the majority of resistance to movement at the end range of a joint. If they are repeatedly overstretched, they lose their ability to return to their normal length and to stabilize the joint. This creates joint laxity and sets the stage for joint injury.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Safety considerations for facilitated stretching
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work.
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work. You act only as a facilitator for the technique and make no attempt to increase the stretch. This factor addresses the concern of some investigators that poorly trained or inattentive partners could cause injury by being too vigorous in moving the limb to a new range of motion (Beaulieu 1981; Surburg 1981).
Stretching safely is of utmost concern for both the stretcher and the partner. Using proper body mechanics is extremely important during all phases of stretching, but especially during the isometric phase. The stretcher and the partner need to plan carefully and communicate freely with each other. The partner may be expending unnecessary energy (because of poor ergonomics) in applying the resistance, or the stretcher may be working too hard. As the partner you can be injured by carelessly using these techniques, and you can develop overuse syndromes unnecessarily.
Safety for the Partner
- As you work, pay attention to your legs and feet. Use an athletic stance to help you remain balanced and stable, especially as you resist the isometric contraction of the stretcher. Your athletic stance will typically be a modified lunge, with one foot forward and the other back, your pelvis turned toward the line of force. Keep your knees slightly bent, and focus on using your leg muscles. Keep your body weight evenly distributed over both feet, maintain length in your back and neck, and allow your head to sit comfortably over your shoulders (figure 2.6).
- Be aware of keeping your spine lengthened as you work, instead of collapsing into yourself. This lengthening helps prevent undue stress on your vertebrae.
- Keep your low back area flattened to reduce pressure on your lumbar spine. This will help prevent low back pain. Tighten your abdominal muscles to help keep your back from arching too far.
- Avoid unnecessary twisting or bending. Instead, have the stretcher move to accommodate you.
- Use the large muscles of the trunk and extremities to resist the isometric contraction instead of smaller, weaker muscles. For instance, have the stretcher push against your shoulder rather than your arm during a hamstrings stretch.
- Remember that you control the strength of the stretcher's isometric contraction. Provide resistance only up to the level that is comfortable for you, and then ask the stretcher to hold at that level of effort. It is not necessary for the stretcher to exert maximal effort for the stretch to be effective.
- To avoid losing your balance when you're acting as the partner, you need to control the session and give the commands so that you're prepared to resist the isometric contraction. Be sure the stretcher begins slowly during the isometric phase.
- Stop immediately if either you or the stretcher has pain, discuss what is happening to determine the cause, and correct the problem before continuing.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_0679P_1186_ebook_Main.jpg
Notice the partner's athletic stance, a modified forward lunge with the pelvis turned toward the line of force.
Safety for the Stretcher
When a stretcher is first learning facilitated stretching, it is common for him to work too hard, to lose focus, and to misunderstand the directions for each stretch. To keep the stretcher safe, be sure to proceed slowly, make sure he understands your instructions, and prevent him from overworking. It's important to be sure that the stretcher is positioned correctly for the stretch, that he is breathing throughout the sequence, and that he is pain free throughout.
Reducing Fatigue for Stretcher and Partner
Because facilitated stretching is an active form of work, it can be fatiguing for both the stretcher and the partner. Preventing fatigue can reduce the chance of injury.
For the stretcher, it's important to remember that maximal effort is not necessary. Only a moderate contraction of the target muscle is needed during the isometric phase. This can be especially important for stretchers who don't participate in a regular exercise program, because they may experience muscle soreness the next day if they work too hard.
For you, the partner, reducing fatigue becomes an issue if you are working with several people throughout the day. Injuries are more likely if you're fatigued. One of the benefits of facilitated stretching is that the stretcher does most of the work. As the partner, your main task is to assist the stretcher, not do the work for her. The stretcher moves the limb into position; you don't have to lift it or support it for her except for brief periods during the sequence. Relax whenever possible during the session, and expend only the effort necessary.
If you're using proper body mechanics, you will usually have a mechanical advantage when resisting the isometric contraction of the stretcher. This leverage allows you to accomplish your work with minimal physical effort.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Guidelines for stretching
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering.
Proponents of stretching claim it helps prevent injuries, prevents soreness, improves performance, promotes body awareness, stimulates blood flow, and is mentally relaxing and centering. Opponents argue that stretching is a waste of time, can actually cause injury, and does nothing to improve performance or prevent soreness or injuries. Each side has a multitude of studies, reports, and anecdotal evidence to support its claims. While researchers advance the scientific investigation of stretching, the discussion regarding the benefits versus the risks of stretching continues on the playing field and in gyms, training rooms, and sports clinics.
Supporters of stretching generally agree that in the best of all possible exercise schemes, the athlete warms up, stretches, exercises, stretches again, and then cools down.
Stretch After Warm-Up
The physiological evidence is clear that warm muscles stretch more effectively than cold ones. A warm-up entails 10 to 15 minutes of light activity, similar to what the exercise or sport will be. This light activity increases blood flow to the muscles and gets them ready to work. Warming up also helps reduce stiffness, making the muscles more supple, so they stretch more easily (Bishop 2003a, b).Grant (1997) discusses other benefits of warming up, including increased production of synovial fluid to lubricate joints, increased oxygen exchange in the muscles, increased rate of nerve transmission, and more efficient cooperation of the muscles around a joint. By warming up first, stretching exercises will be more effective and efficient, the athlete will make greater gains than if stretching cold, and the risk of injury from stretching is greatly reduced.
Stretch Twice
In an ideal world, stretching would be included as part of the warm-up before exercise and as part of the cool-down after exercise. The reasoning behind stretching twice goes like this:
Stretching the muscles before a workout gets them ready to perform at their optimal length. This optimal length allows the muscles to develop the most power as they work. There is a preponderance of evidence that some types of stretching immediately before athletic activity may decrease explosive power and speed (Simic, Sarabon, and Markovic 2013; Behm and Chaouachi 2011). Research on the effects of preactivity stretching on endurance has not been definitive. Erring on the side of caution, most fitness professionals now recommend that preactivity stretching be confined to dynamic stretching as part of an overall warm-up routine.
Stretching the muscles after exercise while they're still warm brings them back to their optimal resting length. As muscles work they repeatedly contract and shorten, and they tend to stay short when the workout is over unless they're stretched again to their normal resting length. Postexercise stretching can be incorporated into the cool-down.
Stretch Once
If time is limited, we recommend skipping the preexercise stretching and concentrating on postexercise stretching. When preexercise stretching is eliminated, the warm-up routine before the main workout needs to be thorough. Postexercise stretching will return tight, tired muscles to their normal resting length as you go about the remainder of your daily activities. In postexercise stretching, there is some danger of overstretching the muscles because they may be too pliable. But if postexercise stretching is done with awareness, the risk is minimal and is far outweighed by the benefits.
Stretch Without Pain
We believe that stretching must be completely comfortable to be effective. In our experience, many people stretch incorrectly, believing that if something doesn't hurt a little, it's not working. It's a variation on the "no pain, no gain" mentality of exercise. Stretching until it hurts triggers the nervous system's natural response to pain: The muscle will resist lengthening to prevent possible injury to the tissue being stretched.
We advocate stretching the muscle just to its soft-tissue barrier - that is, the point at which you begin to feel some resistance to further stretching but no discomfort. The soft-tissue barrier is the starting point for the stretch.
"Stretch without pain" also applies to the rest of the body during a specific stretch. Even if you have no pain in the muscle you're stretching, pain or discomfort elsewhere in your body will negatively affect your results. For example, if you're having low back pain while you stretch your quadriceps, you won't be able to relax and fully engage in the stretch. Repositioning to relieve your back pain makes the quadriceps stretch more effective.
Remember That Flexibility Varies
Experienced stretchers are acutely aware that flexibility varies from day to day and from joint to joint. It's important to take each day as it comes and stretch as best you can. Just as those who change their diets to lose weight are advised not to step on the scale daily, you cannot measure improvement in flexibility daily; you are better off looking at your gains over the long term.
Recognize When to Stretch and When to Strengthen
Stretching tight muscles is a pleasurable activity when done correctly. But not all tight muscles need to be stretched. Some are already overstretched and need to be strengthened instead. The following paragraphs deal with the differences between hypertonic and eccentrically stressed muscles, called crossed syndrome, and the effects of neurological inhibition on muscle balance. This is a brief discussion of a complex topic, which we urge you to explore more fully in other writings devoted to the subject (Lewit 1999; Chaitow 2006; Liebenson 2006).
- Hypertonic muscles. When a muscle is short and tight because of habitual concentric contraction, it's called hypertonic. Myers (2008) refers to this as "locked short." A good example of short and tight can be found in the pectoralis major. Because most of us spend so much time sitting in front of computers, driving, or doing other activities that use our arms in front, the pectoralis muscles can become chronically hypertonic. Hypertonic muscles tend to feel fat or thick and tight to palpation. Stretching these muscles can help restore them to normal tone and length.
- Eccentrically stressed muscles. When a muscle is overstretched (usually due to postural stress), it will also feel tight; but instead of being short and tight, it is long and tight, or "locked long" (Myers 2008). It stays in a state of eccentric contraction, in which it constantly works to try to return to its normal length. The rhomboids provide a good example of muscles under eccentric stress. Most of us tend to be a little round shouldered. Hypertonic pectoralis muscles contribute to this posture. As a result, the rhomboids, which attach to the spine and the shoulder blades, are always fighting to counteract the force of the pectoralis muscles and pull the blades back to their normal position. The resulting eccentric stress causes the rhomboids to feel tight and sore to palpation. Muscles under eccentric stress tend to feel thin or stringy and tight. The correction for this condition is not to stretch the rhomboids but to strengthen them and to stretch the pectoralis muscles to restore balance between the chest and the back.
- Crossed syndrome. Similar patterns of muscle imbalance can be found elsewhere in the body. Czech researcher Vladimir Janda (1983) describes these patterns of imbalance as upper and lower crossed syndromes (figure 1.11).
- Muscle weakness due to inhibition. Even though Sherrington's law of reciprocal inhibition does not universally apply as previously believed, our experience with patients has taught us to act as if hypertonic muscles have a reflexive inhibitory effect on their opposing muscles. To use the pectoralis muscles and the rhomboids again as an example, when the pectoralis muscles are locked short, they not only contribute to the eccentric stress on the rhomboids by mechanically pulling against them but also appear to neurologically inhibit the rhomboids, making them less able to exert their normal strength to maintain postural balance. It is common to find that the rhomboids regain much of their normal strength and tone spontaneously after the pectoralis muscles are released through stretching. The same scenario is seen in many areas of the body. Because of this, we believe that stretching work should precede strengthening when one is trying to correct postural imbalances.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462652_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462653_ebook_Main.jpg
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Understand the function of ligaments
You can read Human Kinetics e-books on desktop, laptop, and various mobile devices, as long as you have authorized the device or e-reader app to read e-books protected by Adobe’s digital rights management (DRM).
Ligaments
In classic anatomy, ligaments are defined as fibrous bands of dense connective tissue that attach bones to each other - that is, ligaments hold joints together. Ligaments are composed primarily of collagen bundles in parallel, with a mixture of elastic fibers and fine collagen fibers interwoven. This arrangement creates tissue that is pliable enough to allow freedom of motion at the joint and strong enough to resist stretching forces.
Ligaments are traditionally described as running in parallel to the muscles. Their function is to provide support to the joint at the ends of its range of motion (figure 1.2).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453874_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462648_ebook_Main.jpg
Ligaments are traditionally described as (a) running in parallel to the muscles and (b) functioning primarily when under tension at the end of a joint's range of motion. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
As our understanding of the role of fascia throughout the body has deepened in recent years, many of our classic explanations are being challenged. Dutch osteopath and anatomist Jaap van der Wal has published a research paper that looks at the body from an architectural perspective rather than the typical anatomical dissection perspective (2009). He describes ligaments, based on his observations during careful dissections, as being continuous with the fascial sleeve in which muscles run; therefore, they are considered to run in series with muscle tissue and not as parallel, but separate, entities. Ligaments appear to provide support to the joint structure throughout the joint's range of motion. Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to more clearly describe the function of ligaments that form synovial joints (figure 1.3).
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_453883_ebook_Main.jpg
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_462649_ebook_Main.jpg
(a) Van der Wal coined the term dynament ("dynamic ligament") to describe muscles and ligaments that run in series with each other. (b) The dynament is under tension and provides support in all joint positions. Reprinted, by permission, from J. Van der Wal, 2009, "The architecture of the connective tissue in the musculoskeletal system - an often overlooked functional parameter as to proprioception in the locomotor apparatus," International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork 2(4): 9.23.
Even as our understanding of the structure and function of ligaments broadens to include this architectural viewpoint of the transmission of forces across joints, we must still be cautious with stretching. Ligamentous tissue has a different ratio of collagen to elastic fibers than does tendinous tissue. Ligaments provide the majority of resistance to movement at the end range of a joint. If they are repeatedly overstretched, they lose their ability to return to their normal length and to stabilize the joint. This creates joint laxity and sets the stage for joint injury.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
Safety considerations for facilitated stretching
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work.
Facilitated stretches entail virtually no risk of injury because there is little or no passive movement involved - the stretcher does the work. You act only as a facilitator for the technique and make no attempt to increase the stretch. This factor addresses the concern of some investigators that poorly trained or inattentive partners could cause injury by being too vigorous in moving the limb to a new range of motion (Beaulieu 1981; Surburg 1981).
Stretching safely is of utmost concern for both the stretcher and the partner. Using proper body mechanics is extremely important during all phases of stretching, but especially during the isometric phase. The stretcher and the partner need to plan carefully and communicate freely with each other. The partner may be expending unnecessary energy (because of poor ergonomics) in applying the resistance, or the stretcher may be working too hard. As the partner you can be injured by carelessly using these techniques, and you can develop overuse syndromes unnecessarily.
Safety for the Partner
- As you work, pay attention to your legs and feet. Use an athletic stance to help you remain balanced and stable, especially as you resist the isometric contraction of the stretcher. Your athletic stance will typically be a modified lunge, with one foot forward and the other back, your pelvis turned toward the line of force. Keep your knees slightly bent, and focus on using your leg muscles. Keep your body weight evenly distributed over both feet, maintain length in your back and neck, and allow your head to sit comfortably over your shoulders (figure 2.6).
- Be aware of keeping your spine lengthened as you work, instead of collapsing into yourself. This lengthening helps prevent undue stress on your vertebrae.
- Keep your low back area flattened to reduce pressure on your lumbar spine. This will help prevent low back pain. Tighten your abdominal muscles to help keep your back from arching too far.
- Avoid unnecessary twisting or bending. Instead, have the stretcher move to accommodate you.
- Use the large muscles of the trunk and extremities to resist the isometric contraction instead of smaller, weaker muscles. For instance, have the stretcher push against your shoulder rather than your arm during a hamstrings stretch.
- Remember that you control the strength of the stretcher's isometric contraction. Provide resistance only up to the level that is comfortable for you, and then ask the stretcher to hold at that level of effort. It is not necessary for the stretcher to exert maximal effort for the stretch to be effective.
- To avoid losing your balance when you're acting as the partner, you need to control the session and give the commands so that you're prepared to resist the isometric contraction. Be sure the stretcher begins slowly during the isometric phase.
- Stop immediately if either you or the stretcher has pain, discuss what is happening to determine the cause, and correct the problem before continuing.
http://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/100/E5767_0679P_1186_ebook_Main.jpg
Notice the partner's athletic stance, a modified forward lunge with the pelvis turned toward the line of force.
Safety for the Stretcher
When a stretcher is first learning facilitated stretching, it is common for him to work too hard, to lose focus, and to misunderstand the directions for each stretch. To keep the stretcher safe, be sure to proceed slowly, make sure he understands your instructions, and prevent him from overworking. It's important to be sure that the stretcher is positioned correctly for the stretch, that he is breathing throughout the sequence, and that he is pain free throughout.
Reducing Fatigue for Stretcher and Partner
Because facilitated stretching is an active form of work, it can be fatiguing for both the stretcher and the partner. Preventing fatigue can reduce the chance of injury.
For the stretcher, it's important to remember that maximal effort is not necessary. Only a moderate contraction of the target muscle is needed during the isometric phase. This can be especially important for stretchers who don't participate in a regular exercise program, because they may experience muscle soreness the next day if they work too hard.
For you, the partner, reducing fatigue becomes an issue if you are working with several people throughout the day. Injuries are more likely if you're fatigued. One of the benefits of facilitated stretching is that the stretcher does most of the work. As the partner, your main task is to assist the stretcher, not do the work for her. The stretcher moves the limb into position; you don't have to lift it or support it for her except for brief periods during the sequence. Relax whenever possible during the session, and expend only the effort necessary.
If you're using proper body mechanics, you will usually have a mechanical advantage when resisting the isometric contraction of the stretcher. This leverage allows you to accomplish your work with minimal physical effort.
Learn more about Facilitated Stretching, Fourth Edition.
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