Chapter 14 - Flexibility Training Concepts Flashcards
After completing this deck, the fitness professional will be able to summarize the importance of flexibility training, explain the scientific rationale for flexibility training, and execute, instruct and cue various types of flexibility training.
Muscle imbalances can lead to what three human movement chain disruptions?
- Altered reciprocal inhibition
- Synergistic dominance
- Arthrokinematic dysfunction
How would you regress tube walking with a band around the ankles?
Move the band up to the thighs.
If a client has an overactive hip flexor complex, it will lead to an altered reciprocal inhibition of the hip extensor complex. This, in turn, will increase the force output of the synergist muscles for the hip extensors to compensate for the weakened hip extensors. This is an example of what?
Synergistic dominance
Synergistic dominance is when synergists take over the function of a weakened or inhibited prime mover.
How many repetitions of a dynamic stretch should be performed?
10-15
Muscle spindles respond to what?
Change in length in a muscle
True or False
When foam rolling, roll the entire length of the muscle, rolling over joints to reach the insertion points of a muscle if needed.
False.
You should never roll over joints.
SMR is used to _______.
- Correct muscle imbalances
- Reduce trigger points (or adhesions)
- Inhibit overactive muscles
For more information on SMR, click here.
What is the mechanism of action for SMR?
Autogenic inhibition
When rolling the back, you should avoid SMR on what areas?
The lumbar and cervical spine (low back and neck)
Define
Extensibility
The ability to be stretched
Define
Davis’ Law
Soft tissue models along lines of stress
What are the three arthrokinematic joint motions?
- Roll
- Slide
- Glide
Define
Relative Flexibility
The process of the body seeking the path of least resistance during functional movements.
For example, if a person does not have proper ankle mobility to perform a squat normally, they will externally rotate their feet naturally. This is because by externally rotating the feet, the ankle does not need as much mobility, making the exercise easier to perform.
What is SMR?
A flexibility technique used to break up adhesions in the muscles and fascia.
Examples of SMR tools are foam rollers, massage guns, and other self-massage devices.
Your client is hypertensive. It is safe for them to SMR?
No.
SMR is contraindicated for those with hypertension as it will increase pressure in the blood vessels of the muscle being worked on. A better option for these individuals is static stretching.
Define
Flexibility
The normal extensibility of soft tissue that allows for a range of motion at a joint
True or False
DOMS is caused by a buildup of lactic acid.
FALSE
DOMS is caused by microtears to the muscle.
During an overhead squat assessment, your client demonstrates arms that fall forward. What are some examples of corrective flexibility stretches for this client?
- SMR lats
- Static stretch pectorals and lats.
If a client demonstrates arms that fall forward, the probable overactive muscles include the latissimus dorsi, teres major, and pectoralis major/minor.
What is the focus of flexibility training?
Enhance tissue extensibility and joint ROM in those tissues that are found to be overactive during the assessment process
Your client spends 8+ hours per day sitting and experiences frequent low back pain and hamstring strain. During the overhead squat assessment, you identify an excessive forward lean. In your client’s case, the low back pain and hamstring strain could be caused because the tight psoas is decreasing the strength of the gluteus maximus causing the hamstrings to compensate. This is an example of?
Synergistic Dominance
When performing a lat pulldown, the lats (agonist) must be able to concentrically accelerate shoulder extension and adduction while the rhomboids (synergists) perform downward rotation of the shoulder blades. At the same time, the rotator cuff muscles (stabilizers) must dynamically stabilize the shoulder throughout the entire motion. This phenomenon is called what?
Neuromuscular efficiency.
Neuromuscular efficiency is the ability of the nervous system to recruit the correct muscles to produce force, reduce force, and stabilize in all three planes of motion.
Define
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
Pain or discomfort felt 24-72 hours after intense exercise
What is the mechanism of action for active stretching?
Reciprocal inhibition
Why is it necessary to find a tender spot and hold pressure on that spot for 30 seconds while doing SMR?
Research shows that by holding for a minimum of 30 seconds, the pressure will increase Golgi tendon organ activity which will, in turn, decrease the muscle spindle activity.
Mobility is a combination of what two things?
Flexibility and joint ROM
Should athletes performing in maximal effort activities perform prolonged static stretching prior to activity?
No.
Static stretching for more than 30 seconds has been shown to decrease strength and power in that muscle. The only exception to this is in the case of muscle imbalances in which static stretching can occur however special precaution needs to be taken to ensure you are only stretching the muscles affected by the muscle imbalance.
What factors can influence flexibility?
- Genetics
- Joint structure
- Body composition
- Sex
- Age
- Activity level
- Injuries
- Repetitive movements
How long should you hold a static stretch for?
30 seconds
What are some general signs of overstretching?
- Prolonged joint pain or muscle soreness lasting more than 24 hours
- Swelling or inflammation of the involved area
- Excessive muscle or joint pain during a stretch
Following the flow of postural distortion patterns, muscle imbalances can eventually lead to ____ if not corrected?
Injury.
Muscle imbalances can cause poor posture which can then cause improper movement. Eventually, improper movement will cause injuries.
Define
Altered reciprocal inhibition
When an overactive agonist decreases the neural drive to its antagonist
There are several contraindicated stretches. When would it be appropriate to use one of the contraindicated stretches with a client?
Some stretches are positions required for sports (such as hurdler stretch for track athletes and yoga positions).
For the general population, there are safer positions that can be used to stretch targeted muscles. For this reason, NASM recommends not using these stretches and finding a stretch that is both easier to perform and just as effective as the contraindicated list.
True or False
DOMS means you are getting stronger.
False.
DOMS is caused by microtears to the muscle from unaccustomed activity. It does not necessarily mean you are getting stronger.
When performing the static kneeling hip flexor stretch, in order to emphasize the TFL you should internally or externally rotate the rear leg?
Externally.
Internally rotating the rear leg will put emphasis on the psoas.
Define
Reciprocal inhibition
When an agonist gets a signal to contract, its antagonist gets an inhibitory signal allowing it to relax.
A large percentage of the population needs to externally rotate their feet in order to squat with proper mechanics because they lack proper ankle flexibility. This is an example of what?
Relative Flexibility
The body cannot squat properly with feet in a normal stance. By externally rotating the feet, the body can perform a squat with the proper technique because you are decreasing the amount of ankle flexibility needed.
During an overhead squat, you observe your clients’ knees moving inward. What are some examples of stretches to help correct this compensation?
- SMR of adductors and TFL
- Static stretch of hamstrings
When a client’s knees move inward, the adductors, hamstring (primarily the short head of the bicep femoris), and TFL are overactive.
What is the mechanism of action for a static stretch?
Stretch tolerance or reciprocal inhibition (depending on how the stretch is performed)
Define
Altered length-tension relationship
When a muscle’s resting length is too long or short, reducing the amount of force production
During an overhead squat assessment, your client demonstrates an excessive forward lean caused by tight psoas. The tight psoas decreases the neural drive of the gluteus maximus. This is an example of?
Altered Reciprocal Inhibition
What is a progression to using a foam roller?
Using a massage ball.
Massage balls have a smaller surface area and can be helpful for pinpointing pressure points.
Golgi tendon organs respond to what?
Muscular tension
Poor flexibility can lead to _______, which is the tendency of the body to seek the path of least resistance.
Relative Flexibility
What are the steps in a lengthening reaction?
- Muscle is lengthened
- Stretch reflex is activated
- GTO senses tension and inhibits muscle spindle.
What is dynamic stretching?
A type of stretching that uses force and the body’s momentum to take a joint through its ROM.
What can cause a muscle imbalance?
- Postural distortions
- Repetitive movements
- Trauma
- Emotional distress
- Poor training technique
- Biased training patterns
When performing the static supine bicep femoris stretch, both shoulders should be where?
On the ground.
During this stretch, you should avoid bringing the torso toward the stretched leg.
Prolonged stimulation to the Golgi tendon organ provides an inhibited action to the muscle spindles within the same muscle. This phenomenon is also known as _______.
Autogenic Inhibition
How would you progress a prisoner squat as a dynamic warmup?
Add a calf raise at the top of the squat
According to the cumulative injury cycle, an adhesion will cause altered neuromuscular control which will then lead to what?
Muscle Imbalances
For each active stretch, you should hold the stretch for _____ seconds and repeat it how many times?
1-2 seconds, 5-10 repititions
