Chapter 7 Flexibility Flashcards
All clients have muscle
imbalances
Muscle imbalances are caused by
sedentary lifestyle and/or repetitive movement causes tight/weak muscles
advanced technology reduces overall activity level
Role of flexibility in injury
injury usually due to decreased flexibility
may inhibit the client’s ability to achieve their goals
Flexibility
ability to move a joint through its complete range of motion (ROM)
ROM
(range of motion)
dictated by the normal extensibility of all soft tissues surrounding it
Neuromuscular Efficiency recruits the correct muscles to (4)
produce force
reduce force
dynamically stabilize
in all three planes of motion
Neuromuscular Efficiency Cable Pulldown (muscle and joints plus their joint action)
LATISSIMUS DORSI shoulder extension; shoulder adduction; shoulder internal rotation LOWER TRAPS AND RHOMBOIDS Scapular downward rotation ROTATOR CUFF hold shoulder in socket through full ROM
Neuromuscular Efficiency Cable Pulldown
3
- Brain must be able to communicate with all muscles involved equally for smooth ROM
- Lack of neuromuscular efficiency causes imbalances, altered joint motion and injury
- Optimal neuromuscular efficiency depends on flexibility in all three planes of motion
Mulitplanar Flexibility Latissimus Dorsi (3 planes)
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
Factors influencing flexibility (10)
genetics connective tissue elasticity joint structure antagonistic strength body composition gender age activity level injury history or other medical conditions repetitive movements
Human Movement System
Kinetic Chain
HMS - Skeletal System, Nervous System, Muscular System
Postural distortion pattern
misalignment of one or more segments of the human movement system
Postural distortion pattern can lead to
altered length-tension relationships
(tight vs. loose/weak muscle)
altered force-couple relationships
(poor or overactive muscle activation)
altered arthrokinematics (joint misalignment)
THE END RESULT IS POOR POSTURE AND POOR FORM DURING MOVEMENT
Flexibility Training
must be a multifaceted approach, integrating various flexibility techniques to achieve optimum soft tissue extensibility in all planes of motion
Poor flexibility leads to the development of
relative flexibility.
the phenomenon of the HMS seeking the path of least resistance during functional movement patterns
Relative Flexibility Example Squat (tight calves)
heels lift off the floor
feet turn out (external rotation)
legs too wide or knees collapse in (adduction)
Relative Flexibility Example Shoulder Press (tight lats)
can’t lift arms above head
must tilt thoracic spine back (arch lumbar spine)
Muscle Imbalance Results in…
altered reciprocal inhibition
synergistic dominance
arthrokinetic dysfunction
Altered Reciprocal Inhibition
Caused by a tight agonist which inhibits its functional antagonist
Leads to synergistic dominance
Synergistic Dominance
occurs when synergists take over a function for a weak or inhibited prime mover
Leads to Arthokinetic Dysfunction
Arthokinetic dysfunction
altered forces at the joint resulting in abnormal joint movement and proprioception
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 (thus causing the muscle fibers to contract. results in spasm in that area of the muscle or a feeling of tightness-stretch reflex)
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)
Golgi tendon organ Autogenic inhibition
stimulating the GTO’s of a stretched muscle to force relaxation (inhibition of the muscle spindle action of that muscle)
Golgi tendon organ Reciprocal Inhibition
stimulation of the antagonist muscle to force relaxation in the stretched muscle (inhibition of muscle spindle action of opposite muscle)
Pattern Overload
consistently repeating the same pattern of motion
- training the same way
- repetitive movement at work
- sedentary lifestyle
Cumulative Injury Cycle (7)
Cumulative Injury cycle tissue trama inflammation muscle spasm adhesions altered neuromuscular control muscle imbalance
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
Corrective Flexibility (Flexibility Continuum)
Self myofascial release (foam rolling)
Static stretching
Active Flexibility (Flexibility Continuum)
Self myofascial release (foam rolling)
active isolated stretching
Functional Flexibility (Flexibility Continuum)
Self myofascial release (foam rolling)
Dynamic stretching
Self Myofascial Release
focuses on the fascial system in the body
gentle pressure applied with implements such as 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
Static Stretching
passively (usually done with another person) 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)
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 range of motion to accessed
includes 5 to 10 repetitions of each stretch
hold 1 to 2 seconds each
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 pre-activity warm up if no postural distortion patterns are present or they are significantly reduced
