Chapter 4: Flexibility Training Concepts

Question 1

Flexibility

Answer 1

The normal extensibility of all soft tissues that allow full range of motion of a joint and optimum neuromuscular efficiency throughout all functional movements.

Question 2

Cumulative injury

cycle

Answer 2

A cycle whereby an “injury” will induce inflammation, muscle spasm, adhesions, altered neuromuscular control, and muscle imbalances.

Question 3

Altered reciprocal

inhibition

Answer 3

The concept of muscle inhibition caused by a tight agonist, decreasing the neural drive of its functional antagonist.

Question 4

Synergistic

dominance

Answer 4

The neuromuscular phenomenon that occurs when synergists take over the function of a weak or inhibited prime mover.

Question 5

Arthrokinetic

dysfunction

Answer 5

The biomechanical dysfunction in two articular partners that lead to abnormal joint movement (arthrokinematics) and proprioception.

Question 6

All-or-none principle

Answer 6

When a muscle fiber is stimulated to contract, the entire fiber contracts completely.

Question 7

Endomysium

Answer 7

The innermost fascial layer that encases individual muscle fibers.

Question 8

Perimysium

Answer 8

The sheath that binds groups of muscle fibers into fasciculi.

Question 9

Epimysium

Answer 9

The outermost layer of a muscle fiber.

Question 10

Atrophy

Answer 10

The loss in muscle fiber size.

Question 11

Sarcopenia

Answer 11

A decrease in muscle fiber numbers.

Question 12

Integrated Flexibility Continuum

Answer 12

The full range of flexibility—corrective, active, and functional flexibility—that must be addressed to counteract muscle atrophy and other physical changes due to aging, immobilization,
or injury.

Question 13

Elasticity

Answer 13

The spring-like behavior of connective tissue that enables the tissue to return to its original shape or size when forces are removed.

Question 14

Elastic limit

Answer 14

The smallest value of stress required to produce permanent strain in the tissue.

Question 15

Plasticity

Answer 15

The residual or permanent change in connective tissue length due to tissue elongation.

Question 16

Viscoelasticity

Answer 16

The fluid-like property

of connective tissue that allows slow deformation with an imperfect recovery after the deforming forces are removed.

Question 17

Davis’s Law

Answer 17

The observation that soft tissue models along the lines of stress.

Question 18

Wolff’s Law

Answer 18

The observation that bone in a healthy person or animal will adapt to the loads under which it is
placed.

Question 19

Recruitment

Answer 19

An impulse transmitted simultaneously over an increasing number of nerve fibers pulling in increasingly more muscle fibers for the task.

Question 20

Golgi tendon

organs (GTO)

Answer 20

Mechanoreceptors located within the musculotendinous junction that are sensitive to tension and rate of tension change.

Question 21

Muscle spindles

Answer 21

The major sensory organs of the muscle sensitive to change in length and rate of length change.

Question 22

Autogenic inhibition

Answer 22

The inhibitory action to muscle spindles located within the agonist muscle by prolonged GTO stimulation.

Question 23

Joint receptors

Answer 23

Receptors in the joints that signal joint position, movement, and pressure changes.

Question 24

Myotatic stretch

reflex

Answer 24

A motor response in the spinal cord that results when a muscle is stretched very quickly; the muscle spindle contracts, which in turn stimulates the primary afferent fibers, causing the extrafusal fibers to fire, whereby tension increases in the muscle.

Question 25

Corrective

flexibility

Answer 25

Stretching techniques designed to correct common postural dysfunctions, muscle imbalances, and joint dysfunctions.

Question 26

Active flexibility

Answer 26

Stretching techniques designed to improve soft-tissue extensibility
in all planes of motion by employing the neurophysiological principle of reciprocal inhibition.

Question 27

Functional

flexibility

Answer 27

Stretching techniques designed to improve multiplanar soft tissue extensibility and provide optimum neuromuscular control throughout that full range of motion, while performing functional movements that use the body’s muscles to control the speed, direction, and intensity of the stretch.

Question 28

SMR

Answer 28

self-myofascial release

Question 29

NMS

Answer 29

neuromuscular stretching

Question 30

Self-myofascial

release

Answer 30

A flexibility technique that focuses on the neural and fascial systems in the body.

Question 31

Static Stretching

Answer 31

Static stretching combines low-force and long-duration movements.

Question 32

Neuromuscular Stretching

Answer 32

NMS is based on influencing the neurophysiological mechanisms of autogenic inhibition and reciprocal inhibition.

Question 33

Dynamic stretching

Answer 33

Use of a muscle’s own force production and momentum to take a joint through the full available range of motion.