Download Flexibility - the Health Science Program

Chapter 7
Flexibility Training
Concepts
Purpose
• To provide the fitness professional with
fundamental concepts regarding flexibility
and the importance of proper flexibility
training.
• To allow the fitness professional to select
and administer the appropriate flexibility
protocol for all clients.
Objectives
• The participant will be able to:
– Explain the effects of muscle imbalances on the human
movement system (kinetic chain).
– Provide a scientific rationale for the use of an integrated flexibility
training program.
– Differentiate between the various types of flexibility techniques.
– Perform and instruct appropriate flexibility techniques for given
situations.
What is flexibility?
• Flexibility can be simply described as the
ability to move a joint through its
complete range of motion. Range of motion
(ROM) of a joint is dictated by the normal
extensibility
of all soft tissues surrounding it
• Neuromuscular efficiency is to recruit the
correct muscles to produce force, reduce
force, and dynamically stabilize in all three
planes of motion.
Flexibility in Three Planes of Motion
• Latissimus Dorsi
– Sagittal Plane
• Must have proper extensibility to allow for proper
shoulder flexion
– Frontal Plane
• Must have proper extensibility to allow for proper
shoulder abduction
– Transverse Plane
• Must have proper extensibility to allow for proper
shoulder internal rotation
Postural Distortions
• Postural distortion patterns is a
misalignment of one or segments of the
human movement system
• Relative flexibility (or altered movement
patterns), which is the process in which
the HMS seeks the path of least
resistance, during functional movement
patterns
Flexibility Training
• Must be a multifaceted approach,
integrating various flexibility techniques to
achieve optimum soft-tissue extensibility in
all planes of motion.
• To better understand flexibility training, we
first need to review the human movement
system (HMS), muscle imbalances, and
neuromuscular efficiency.
Human Movement System
Review
• The HMS is composed of the skeletal, nervous, and
muscular systems.
– If one segment of the kinetic chain is misaligned and not
functioning properly, predictable patterns of dysfunction
develop.
HMS
Skeletal System
Nervous System
Muscular
System
Limited Flexibility
• Poor flexibility leads to the development of
relative flexibility.
– The phenomenon of the HSM seeking the
path of least resistance during functional
movement patterns.
– This leads to muscle imbalances.
Muscle Imbalance
• Results in
–
–
–
–
Reciprocal inhibition
Synergistic dominance
Arthrokinetic dysfunction
Decreased neuromuscular control
Muscle Imbalance
• Altered Reciprocal Inhibition
– Caused by a tight agonist, which inhibits its functional
antagonist
• Synergistic Dominance
– Occurs when synergists take over function for a weak or
inhibited prime mover
• Arthrokinetic Dysfunction
– Altered forces at the joint, resulting in abnormal joint
movement and proprioception
• Neuromuscular Efficiency
– The ability of the nervous system to properly coordinate
muscular action
Mechanoreceptors
• Muscle Spindles
– Major sensory organ of the muscle
– Sensitive to change in length and rate of
length change
– When a muscle is lengthened, the spindles
are also stretched.
• This information is transmitted to the nervous
system, exciting the muscle spindle and thus
causing the muscle fibers to contract. This results
in spasm in that area of the muscle or a feeling of
tightness.
Mechanoreceptors
• Golgi Tendon Organ
– Located within the musculotendinous junction
• Where the muscle and the tendon meet
– Sensitive to changes in muscular tension and
rate of tension change
– Proper stimulation can cause relaxation in an
overactive muscle
• Autogenic inhibition
Scientific Rationale
• Pattern Overload
– Consistently repeating the same pattern of
motion
• Training the same way
• Repetitive movement at work
• Sedentary lifestyle
Cumulative Injury Cycle
Cumulative Injury Cycle
Tissue Trauma
Inflammation
Muscle Spasm
Muscle Imbalance
Altered
Neuromuscular Control
Adhesions
Flexibility Continuum
• Flexibility should follow a systematic
progression.
– Corrective Flexibility
• Designed to improve muscle imbalances and
altered arthrokinematics
– Active Flexibility
• Designed to improve the extensibility of soft tissue
and increase neuromuscular efficiency
• Uses reciprocal inhibition
– Functional Flexibility
• Integrated, multiplanar soft-tissue extensibility with
optimum neuromuscular control through the full
range of motion
Flexibility Continuum
• Corrective Flexibility
– Self-myofascial Release
– Static Stretching
• Active Flexibility
– Self-myofascial Release
– Active-Isolated Stretching
• Functional Flexibility
– Self-myofascial Release
– Dynamic Stretching
Stretching
• Self-myofascial Release
– Focuses on the fascial system in the body
– Gentle pressure applied with implements such as a foam
roll
– Assists in releasing knots by stimulating the Golgi tendon
organ
• Creates autogenic inhibition
– Also suggested before static stretching for postural
distortion patterns or activity as well as a useful cool-down
Stretching
• Static Stretching
– Passively taking a muscle to the point of
tension and holding the stretch for 20–30
seconds
– Stimulates the Golgi tendon organ
• Produces an inhibitory effect on the muscle spindle
– Autogenic inhibition
Stretching
• Active-Isolated Stretching
– Uses agonists and synergists to dynamically
move the joint into a range of motion
– Creates reciprocal inhibition of the functional
antagonists
– Allows for greater ranges of motion to be
accessed
– Five to 10 repetitions of each stretch
– Hold 1 to 2 seconds each
Stretching
• Dynamic Stretching
– Uses the force production of a muscle and the
body’s momentum to take a joint through the
full available range of motion
– Also suggested as a preactivity warm-up if no
postural distortion patterns are present or they
are significantly reduced
Summary
• Proper flexibility is the first step to addressing
muscle imbalances and movement
impairments.
• First-time clients will use corrective flexibility
before (warm-up) and after (cool-down)
sessions.
• Active and functional flexibility can be
implemented in the strength and power levels
of the OPT™ Model.