flexibility + mobility Flashcards
What is flexibility?
the ability of a joint to move through a full ROM
What is mobility?
movement ability during multi-joint actions during body segment coordination
Important note on flexibility + mobility in a client?
client can be flexible at a joint but have poor mobility in a region
Differences in bilateral joint capabilities depend on what 7 factors?
genetic variations, activity participation, strength balance, activation issues, connective issue discrepancy, resting postural alignment, joint injury
What are the benefits of flexibility?
- increased movement range
- reduction in rate of functional decline
- stress reduction
- reduced tension
- muscle relaxation
- postural symmetry
- reduced incidence of muscle cramps
- reduced risk of injury
- relief of muscle pain
- improved QOL
Activities emphasizing flexibility reduce musculoskeletal stress via…?
alleviation of tension, reduction of psychomotor distraction, improved state of overall relaxation
HOW does our body being more flexible = lower stress?
via parasympathetic ANS engagement, or engagement of relationship b/w proprioceptors and autonomic nervous system allows the body to learn that a certain position is ok, and then allows to body to relax
What is hypermobility?
mobility defined by movement capacity BEYOND normal ROM
What are the soft tissues in the human body?
muscle + fascia; tendons + ligaments; skin, fat, + collagen; synovial membranes; nerves + blood vessels
3 properties of soft tissue?
elasticity, viscosity, and plasticity
What is elasticity?
the ability of a stretched tissue to return to its original state, like a rubber band
What is plasticity?
property of soft tissue in which the tissue can become permanently elongated after stretching
What is viscosity?
property of soft tissue in which there is a variable fluid resistance to stretch
How do muscle and connective tissue impact ROM?
they are the key contributors to movement resistance; joint capsule at 47% and muscle fascia at 41%
What is collagen?
a type of protein that determines the extensibility of a tissue
What types of structures have HIGH collagen content?
joint capsules, ligaments, fascia
What is extensibility?
the capability of a tissue to be stretched
What is elastin?
a fiber that allows for greater deformation and stretching potential
What types of structures have high elastin content?
found in greater quantities within muscle
What can high muscle stress lead to?
myofascial restriction, trigger points, and pain
How can restriction/trigger points be alleviated?
- stretching
- manual massage
- thermotherapy
- electrotherapy
- accupressure
- pressure rolling
What are muscle spindles?
receptors that identify length/speed and are associated with stretch reflex
Activation of muscle spindles
not activated under slow, controlled stretches; WILL activate to prevent overstretching, especially w/ rapid movement
What are golgi tendon organs?
proprioceptors located in the musculotendinous junction that can create autogenic inhibition of the muscle to protect form a tear or overstretch
What is autogenic inhibition?
the reduction in muscle excitability in response to high tension that is self-induced by the muscle due to negative feedback signaled by the activation of the GTOs
What are mechanoreceptors?
type of somatosensory receptors found in synovial joints to signal/detect stretch velocity, pain, joint pressure, posture sensation, + reflex inhibition
What is reciprocal inhibition?
the relaxation of musculature on one side of a joint to accommodate a contraction of opposing musculature on the opposite side
What type of contractile relationships are involved in RECIPROCAL inhibition?
agonist-antagonist contractile relationships
How does age impact ROM?
as we age, we lose elastic capabilities of muscles, which makes it harder to move around. when it’s hard to move around, we do not WANT to move around
What are sarcomeres?
an individual section or part of a muscle fiber
What is fibrosis?
a condition in which sarcomeres, actin/myosin are replaced with collagen; lose ability to contract + loss of ROM
What has the greatest impact on functional decline?
physical activity! so, get active and stay active
How does gender affect ROM?
females possess some anatomical variances, and therefore believed to be more flexible b/c of them, but ROM is nearly equal across gender
Differences in ROM for very muscular bodybuilders?
b/c they are very muscular, they can have such large muscle mass that it can impede movements
Differences in ROM for obese clients?
these differences occur mainly due to adipose tissue stored in the trunk, which impedes movements
What type of training is useful for ROM?
unilateral (one-sided), open-circuit (DB) training
How does immobility and pain impact ROM?
immobility greatly impacts ROM and elasticity/extensibility via sarcomere absorption
What is sarcomere absorption?
the process of your body removing sarcomeres, particularly when injured (and thus immobile), because when you are hurt, you don’t move for awhile, and your body does this when you don’t move ENOUGH
Effect of discomfort thresholds on ROM?
the more pain a client can tolerate, the quicker he/she can come back after stretching
How can discomfort following an injury be alleviated?
by enhanced warm-ups
What is bursitis?
painful inflammation of soft, fluid-filled sacs that cushion movement between bones, tendons, and muscles near a joint
What is tendonitis?
inflammation, swelling, and irritation of a tendon; can be caused by overuse, direct injury, or aging
What are impingement syndromes?
painful entrapment of a tendon b/w bony aspects of a joint; most commonly found in the shoulder
What is fasciitis?
a condition in which the fascia across a body segment becomes inflamed; most common = plantar fasciitis
What is osteoarthritis?
degenerative joint disorder w/ aging which commonly impacts the hips, knees, toes, and spine that results in the loss of elasticity in connective tissue, development of bone spurs
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
an inflammatory, autoimmune joint disorder which can cause notable dysfunction, immobility, disability, and even premature death
What is ankylosing?
the fusion of a joint; leading to the creation of a singular bone where a joint and two bones used to be
What is gout?
arthritis caused by the accumulation of uric acid, which forms painful crystals
What are the main factors affecting flexibility?
- knowledge of stretching techniques
- time availability
- identified deficiencies
- client’s pain tolerance + overall interest
- imbalances
- orthopedic limitations
- disease
How do warm-ups improve rates of force development + reaction time?
if our core temperature is elevated from warming up, signals from our brains to our muscles are sent more quickly
How do warm-ups help to lower viscous resistance in muscles?
during warm-ups, our core temperature increases, which causes synovial fluid, myglobin, and myoplasm to become less viscous, making muscle tissue to become less viscous
How does warming up improve oxygen delivery?
oxygen release from hemoglobin and myoglobin is facilitated due to increased body/core temperature that results from warming up
What type of stretching is preferred for BEFORE a workout?
during warm-ups, dynamic stretching is the preferred option
Why is static stretching better for post-workout stretching?
b/c static stretching triggers GTOs, which inhibit and relaxes the muscle
Difference b/w general and specific warm-ups?
general = 5-10 minutes of slow activity, like jogging
specific = 8-12 of dynamic stretching in movements that work thru sport’s ROM
What is static flexibility?
the range of possible movement about a joint + surrounding muscles during a passive movement
What is dynamic flexibility?
type of flexibility that refers to the available ROM during active movements, and therefore requires voluntary muscular actions
When does a stretch reflex occur?
it happens when muscle spindles are stimulated during a rapid stretching movement
In what way can stretching trigger autogenic inhibition?
via active contraction before a passive stretch of the same muscle, which will stimulate the GTOs, and therefore cause reflexive muscle relaxation
In what way can stretching trigger reciprocal inhibition?
by contracting the muscle opposing the muscle that is being passively stretched, which stimulates the GTOs, and therefore causes reflexive muscle relaxation
What is a static stretch?
a type of stretch that is slow and constant, w/ the end position being held for 30 seconds
What is a ballistic stretch?
a type of stretch that typically involves active muscular effort and uses a bouncing-type movement in which the end position is not held
What is a dynamic stretch?
a type of functionally-based exercise that uses sport-specific movements to prepare the body for activity
What are the four types of stretches?
static, dynamic, ballistic, and PNF
What is the relationship b/w duration of a static stretch and state of the muscle tissue?
the longer you hold a static stretch, the longer and more likely the tissue will readjust
What is activated isolated stretching?
stretching that uses reciprocal inhibition to increase the muscle length rapidly; it is focused into specific ROMs to target the proximal or distal end of the muscle
What are the four treatments for flexibility?
casting, static strength, stretch tables, and PNF
What is casting?
an ultra long term flexibility treatment option that involves casting in the same way you would a broken limb
How does casting help treat flexibility?
with each recasting, there are slight increases in ROM; helps with adding sarcomeres that might be lost from the slight atrophy of the bone/ muscle
What are stretch tables?
a flexibility treatment option and form of static stretching that allows for the anchoring of the alternate limb
proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretch
a type of stretching that uses the proprioceptors in the brain and muscle to move the muscle
hold-relax PNF
- passive pre-stretch for 10s
- isometric hold for 6s
- passive stretch for 30s
contract-relax PNF
- passive pre-stretch for 10 seconds
- concentric muscle action thru full ROM
- passive stretch for 30 seconds
hold-relax w/ agonist contraction PNF
same as hold-relax, except during the third phase of the passive stretch, concentric action of the agonist is used to increase the stretch force
What is the main point to remember w/ PNF?
The hold-relax w/ agonist contraction is the most effective PNF stretching technique b/c it facilitates both autogenic and reciprocal inhibition.
stretching + hypermobility
when it comes to static stretching, use caution/avoid stretching a hypermobile joint
Effect of combination movements on the spine?
combination movements increase the risk of developing a herniated disc
