FW190 Flexibility

Chapter
5
Copyright © 2017 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved.
No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
1

 Ahead:
 Types of Flexibility
 What Determines Flexibility?
 Benefits of Flexibility
 Assessing Flexibility
 Creating a Successful Program to
Develop Flexibility
 Preventing and Managing Low-Back Pain
2

 Flexibility, the ability of a joint to move through
its normal, full range of motion, is important for
general fitness and wellness
 Range of motion: the full motion possible in
a joint
 Static flexibility: ability to hold an extended position
at one end or point in a joint’s range of motion
 Dynamic flexibility: ability to move a joint through its
range of motion with little resistance
3

 Flexibility of a joint depends
partly on the
nature and structure of the
joint
 Hinge joints
 Ball-and-socket joints
 Joint capsules: semi-elastic
structures composed primarily
of connective tissues;
surround major joints
© Andres Rodriguez / Alamy RF
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5

 Soft tissues: tissues of the human body that
include skin, fat, linings of internal organs and
blood vessels, connective tissues, tendons,
ligaments, muscles, and nerves
 Collagen: white fibers that provide structure
and support in connective tissue
 Elastin: yellow fibers that make connective
tissue flexible
6

 Elastic elongation: temporary change
in the length of muscles, tendons, and
supporting connective tissues
 Plastic elongation: long-term change in the
length of muscles, tendons, and supporting
connective tissues
7

 Proprioceptor: nerve that sends information
about the muscular and skeletal systems to the
nervous system
 When proprioceptors detect changes in position
or force of muscles and joints, they send
signals to the spine and brain
 The brain sends signals back to coordinate muscle
action to protect muscles and tendons from injury
8

 Proprioceptors control speed, strength, and
coordination of muscle contractions
 Small movements that only slightly stimulate
these receptors cause small reflex actions
 Rapid, powerful, and sudden changes in muscle
length stimulate receptors and can cause powerful
reflex muscle contractions
▪ Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching
9

 When muscles and other
tissues supporting
a joint are tight, the joint is
subject to stresses that can
cause deterioration
 Poor joint flexibility can
cause abnormalities in joint
lubrication, leading to
deterioration of the cartilage
cells lining the joint
© Image Source / Alamy RF
10

 Poor spinal stability puts pressure on the
nerves leading out from the spinal column and
can lead to low-back pain
 Good hip and knee flexibility protects the spine
 People with either high or low flexibility seem to have
an increased risk of injury
 Stretching programs are important for older adults,
people who play high-power sports, workers involved
in brief bouts of intense exertion, and those and who
sit for long periods
11

 Relief of aches and pains
 Relief of muscle cramps
 Improved body position and
strength for sports and life
 Maintenance of good
posture and balance
 Relaxation
 Improving impaired mobility
© Dougal Waters/Getty Images RF
12

 There are no tests of general flexibility
 The sit-and-reach test rates the flexibility of
muscles in the lower back and hamstrings
13

 Should include safe exercises and most
effective techniques
 Goal of attaining normal flexibility in major joints
 Balanced flexibility provides for joint stability
and smooth movement
14

 Frequency
 ACSM recommends stretching exercises be
performed a minimum of two or three days a week
 Intensity and time (duration)
 Slowly apply the stretch to your muscles to the point
of slight tension or mild discomfort
▪ Hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds
▪ As tension subsides, stretch a bit farther
▪ Rest 30 to 60 seconds; do 2 to 4 repetitions for a total of
60 seconds per exercise
15

Perform the following stretching exercises as a warm-up for 5-10 minutes or following an endurance or strength
training workout:
 Head turns and tilts: Stretches neck
 Towel stretch: Stretches triceps, shoulders, chest
 Across-the-body and overhead: Stretches shoulders, upper back, back of arm
 Upper-back stretch: Stretches upper back
 Lateral stretch: Stretches trunk muscles
 Step Stretch: Stretches hip, front of thigh
 Side lunge: Stretches inner thigh, hip, calf
 Inner-thigh stretch: Stretches inner thigh, hip
 Hip and trunk stretch: Stretches trunk, outer thigh, hip, buttocks, lower back
 Modified hurdler stretch: Stretches back of thigh, lower back
 Alternate leg stretcher: Stretches back of thigh, hip, knee, ankle, buttocks
 Lower-leg stretch: Stretches calf, soleus, Achilles tendon
Frequency: 2-3 days per week (minimum); 5-7 days per week (ideal)
Intensity/Resistance: Stretch to the point of mild discomfort, not pain
Time: All stretches should be held for 10-30 seconds and performed 2-4 times, for a total of 60 seconds per exercise.
Type of activity: Stretching exercises that focus on major joints
16

 Types of stretching techniques
 Static stretching: technique in which a muscle is
slowly and gently stretched and then held in the
stretched position
 Ballistic stretching: technique in which muscles are
stretched by the force generated as a body part is
repeatedly bounced, swung, or jerked
 Dynamic stretching: technique in which muscles are
stretched by moving joints slowly and fluidly through
their range of motion in a controlled manner; also
called functional stretching
17

 Types of stretching techniques
 Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF):
uses reflexes initiated by both muscle and joint
nerves to achieve greater training effects
 Passive stretching: technique in which muscles are
stretched by force applied by an outside source
 Active stretching: technique in which muscles are
stretched by the contraction of the opposing muscles
18

 Judge progress by noting body position while
stretching
 Should see some improvement after two to three
weeks of stretching
 May take two months to attain significant
improvements
19

 Flexibility program should include exercises to
work major joints of the body by stretching
associated muscle groups
 Hold each position 10 to 30 seconds for 2 to 4
repetitions
 Use proper technique
20

 Head turns and tilts
 Towel stretch
 Across-the-body and
overhead stretches
 Upper-back stretch
 Lateral stretch
 Step stretch
 Side lunge
 Inner-thigh stretch
 Hip and trunk stretch
 Modified hurdler
stretch (seated
single-leg hamstring)
 Leg stretcher
 Lower-leg stretch
 Single-leg deadlift
21

 Low-back pain afflicts more than 85% of
Americans by age 50
 Second-most common ailment in the U.S.
 Often the result of weak and inflexible muscles,
poor posture, or poor body mechanics when lifting
or carrying
22

 Spine provides structural support for the body
 Surrounds and protects the spinal cord
 Supports much of the body’s weight
 Serves as attachment site for muscles, tendons,
and ligaments
 Allows movement of the neck and back in all
directions
23

 Spinal column has 7 cervical, 12 thoracic,
5 lumbar vertebrae
 Vertebrae: bony segments of the spinal column that
provide structural support for the body and protect
the spinal cord
 The 9 vertebrae at the bottom are fused into
sections that form the sacrum and coccyx
24

 Intervertebral disk: elastic disk located
between adjoining vertebrae, consisting of a
gel- and water-filled nucleus surrounded by
fibrous rings; serves as a shock absorber for
the spinal column
 Nerve roots: bases of the 31 pairs of spinal
nerves that branch off the spinal cord through
spaces between vertebrae
25

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 Core muscles: trunk muscles extending from
the hips to the upper back
 Attach to ribs, hips, spine and other bones in the
trunk of the body
 Core muscles stabilize the spine and help transfer
force between the upper body and lower body
30

 During any dynamic movement, core muscles
work together
 Some shorten to cause movement; others contract
and hold to provide stability, lengthen to brake
movement, or send signals to the brain about the
movements and positions of the muscles and bones
▪ Best exercises for low-back health care are whole-body
exercises that force core muscles to stabilize the spine in
many different directions
© Wavebreakmedia Ltd/ Getty Images
RF
31

 Lumbar area is the most common area of pain
 Poor muscle endurance and strength in the core
muscles
 Excess body weight
 Poor posture or body position
 Poor body mechanics
 Physical stress can cause disks to break down and
lose some of their ability to absorb shock
32

 Maintain a healthy weight
 Stop smoking and reduce stress
 Avoid sitting, standing, or working in the same
position for too long
 Use a supportive seat and a medium-firm
mattress
 Use lumbar support when driving
 Warm up thoroughly before exercising
 Progress gradually when attempting to improve
strength or fitness
33

 Sudden back pain usually involves tissue injury
 Applying cold and then heat may reduce pain and
inflammation
 Bed rest immediately following the onset of pain
may help
▪ See physician if acute back pain doesn’t resolve within
a short time
 Back pain that lasts more than 3 months is
considered chronic
34

 Different people benefit from different
treatment strategies
 Medications
 Exercise
 Physical therapy, massage, yoga, chiropractic care
 Acupuncture
 PENS
 Education and advice
 Surgery
35

 Perform low-back exercises (3 days per week)
 Emphasize muscular endurance
 Don’t do full-range-of-motion spine exercises
early
in the morning
 Engage in regular endurance exercise
 Be patient and stick with your program
 Forget the adage “no pain, no gain”
 Emphasize stabilization exercises
36

 Cat stretch
 Step stretch
 Leg stretcher
 Trunk twist
 Curl-up
 Isometric side bridge
 Spine extensions
(bird dogs)
 Wall squat
(phantom chair)
 Pelvic tilt
 Back bridge
 Stir the pot
 Kettlebell or
dumbbell carry
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Deep Muscles include the following:
• Abdominal muscles: internal obliques and transversus
abdominis
• Hip muscles: adductor brevis, adductor magnus, gemellus
superior, gemellus inferior, obturator internus, and
periformis
Superficial Muscles include the following:
• Abdominal muscles: rectus abdominis and external
obliques
• Hip muscles: rectus femoris, Iliopsoas, tensor fascia lata,
sartorius, pectineus, adductor longus, and gracilis
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Deep Muscles include the following:
• Spinal muscles: quadratus lumborum, paraspinals, and rotatores
• Hip muscles: quadratus femoris, obturator externus, gluteus
medius, and gluteus minimus
Superficial Muscles include the following:
• Spinal muscles: erector spinae, iliocostalis thoracis, iliocostalis
lumborum, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and serratus anterior
• Hip muscles: gluteus maximus and hamstrings (biceps femoris,
semimembranosus, semitendinosus)
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FW190 Flexibility

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FW190 Flexibility