Balance & Flexibility - Lecture 37 Flashcards
Elements of Physical Fitness
Lifestyle, Heredity, Environment, Anthropometry, Musculoskeletal, and Cardiovascular + Respiratory
Define Balance
A state of equilibrium in the body.
What are the three things that are integrated in balance
Sensory, Motor, Cognitive
What is the sensory system?
Stimulus; brain receives stimulus and processes it
What is the motor system
Follows the sensory system by executing what the sensory system picks up.
What does the cognitive system do?
It prepares the sensory and motor system for action, based on previous experience.
Where does the sensory system receive stimulus?
Eyes, Ears and Kinesthetic Sensors
Semi-circular canals?
In the ear; fluid within detects moves based on how you are positioning your body
Kinesthetic Sensors where are they located?
In Muscle, tendons and joints
Kinesthetic Tendons: Golgi Tendon Organs location
Within tendons near muscle insertions.
What do Golgi Tendons do?
Detect tension in tendon due to contracting muscle
Reflexive Inhibition
Sensory signal that tells the muscle to relax and alleviate tension
Kinesthetic Tendons: Muscle Spindle Location?
In muscle surrounded by muscle fibre
What do Muscle Spindles do?
Detects muscle stretching, tension and load
How do Muscle Spindles work?
Reflexive contraction; adds contraction to bring muscle back up.
How are the Kinesthetic Tendons different from each other?
Different location, different mechanisms.
Two Types of Balance
Static & Dynamic
Static balance
The ability to hold a steady position (standing on one leg)
Dynamic Balance
Ability to maintain equilibrium while in motion. (riding a bike)
Why is balance important?
For Health and Performance
How balance affects health?
Poor balance can cause falls and injury
How balance affects performance
Sport and daily activities of living are affected.
Factors that affect balance
Body weight, Strength, Centre of Gravity, Fear, Co-ordination, Environmental Factors
How are risk of falls related to Dynapenia and Sarcopenia
Increased fall risk is related to Dynapenia (muscle strength loss) and Sarcopenia (muscle mass loss)
How to Improve Balance
- Add Instability
- Adding balance elements mean reducing total intensity
- Narrow base of support
Define Flexibility
Range of motion about the joint or joints
Is flexibility a full body phenomenon?
No; it’s catered towards specific joints.
Importance of Flexibility
Better performance with ADLA, Sport, QoL, Leisure Time PA, and function and independence
What are limitations to flexibility
- Mechanical and Anatomical Factors (body mass)
- Joint Tissue Laxity
- Inactivity
- Age
- Temperature
What is joint tissue laxity?
Genetic disease where you’re too flexible and this can reduce stability of a joint
Measurements of Flexibility?
Goniometry and Performance measures (sit and reach)
Active Range of Motion
Voluntary movement; how much you can move or stretch something.
Passive Range of Motion?
Aid provides additional force to active range of motion.
What is key to static stretching?
Doing it after your warm-up
Why should you static stretch after your warm-up?
Because tissues are warm and range of motion is increased; static stretching then would cause less possible injury
How quick should a static stretch be?
Should be slow and passive (10-30 sec per stretch)
When should a dynamic stretch be done?
During the warmup.
What does dynamic stretch involve?
Active Movement
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
Type of stretching; doing techniques that contract and relax the muscle
Purpose of PNF
Increase Range of Motion
Why is static stretching seen as negative for sprinting?
Static seen as less elastic and decreasing muscle addition which is opposite of what we want for sprinting.
Is Dynamic stretching seen as negative?
No; overall dynamic stretching should be done first before static.
What points are made on the paper on flexibility and physical fitness
- Working on flexibility has no meaning if focusing on resistance and aerobic.
- Stretching does not need to be standard prescription of exercise
