Chapter 7 Incorporating Flexibility into your Program Learning

Chapter 7 Incorporating Flexibility into your Program

Learning Outcomes • What you'll be able to do: – Define how muscle imbalances effect movement and provide solutions – Incorporate flexibility as a corrective measure to your program – Identify the different types of flexibility training – Integrate flexibility into correcting postural imbalances and know why it is important to have flexibility and range of motion for certain movements – Inadequate flexibility or ROM will prevent people from properly performing movements

Flexibility Defined • Flexibility is how well one can move a joint through it's full range of motion • Range of motion (ROM) of a joint is determined by the extensibility of its surrounding muscles • Neuromuscular efficiency ability of muscles to add and subtract force as needed • Stabilizing and moving the body through all three planes of motion

Postural Allignment • Postural distortion patterns when one or more segments of the body are misalligned • Relative flexibility (or altered movement patterns), which is the process in which the HMS seeks the path of least resistance* • It does this during regular movement patterns

Basic Flexibility • • All-around approach Using multiple techniques Moving in all planes of motion Must understand muscle imbalances

Limitations • Poor flexibility leads to the development of relative flexibility. – The body always seeks the path of least resistance during functional movement patterns. * – This is the root of muscle imbalances

When the Body is not Moving Properly • What Happens during muscle imbalance? – – Altered Reciprocal inhibition Synergistic dominance Arthrokinetic dysfunction Decreased neuromuscular control

Improper Movement • Altered Reciprocal Inhibition – When the main muscle is too tight it impedes the movement of the antagonist. • • – An overactive psoas decreasing the neural drive to the gluteus maximus is an example of Altered Reciprocal Inhibition. * Synergistic Dominance – When the prime mover is too weak and the synergistic muscles take over Arthrokinetic Dysfunction Unique joint movement due to abnormal forces on the joint Neuromuscular Efficiency – Nervous system can efficiently coordinate movements

Muscle Spindles • Muscle Spindles – Major sensory organ of the muscle – Detects changes in length and how fast or slow the change is occuring – Spindles are stretched when muscles lengthen • This information is transmitted to the nervous system, exciting the muscle spindle and thus causing the muscle fibers to contract.

Golgi Tendon Organ – Found inside the musculotendinous junction • meeting place of muscle and tendon – detects changes in tension and speed of tension changes – Foam Roller = proper stimulation of the GTO, is known as Autogenic inhibition* – Foam rolling will relax overactive muscles

How Overuse Happens • Pattern Overload – Similar to overuse, doing the same movement pattern over and over again • Not changing the training routine • Same movements every day at work • Sedentary lifestyle

Progressing Flexibility – Corrective Flexibility • Helps to repair muscle imbalances and altered arthrokinematics – Active Flexibility • Increases extensibility • Improves neuromuscular efficiency • Uses reciprocal inhibition* – Functional Flexibility • Advanced • Moving with full ROM through multiple planes of motion

Different Types of Flexibility • Corrective Flexibility – Foam rolling (SMR) – Static Stretching* • Active Flexibility – Foam rolling (SMR) – Active-Isolated Stretching • Functional Flexibility – Foam rolling (SMR) – Dynamic Stretching

Foam Rolling • Self-myofascial Release (SMR) – use a foam roller, lacrosse ball, or other object to gently apply pressure to muscles. – Add more pressure accordingly – Stimulates golgi tendon orgon (GTO)to release knots • autogenic inhibition – Times of use – Before static stretching – Before resistance training – Cool down – Whenever (most times) muscles feel tight

Static Stretching – Stretch to the point to tension and hold for at least 30 seconds – Stimulates the Golgi tendon organ • Produces an inhibitory effect on the muscle spindle – Autogenic inhibition – More effective post-workout – May reduce power output capability if done pre-workout

Active-Isolated Stretching – Moves a joint into a range of motion by using agonists and synergists – Recipricol inhibition – Created by functional agonists – Helps to achieve more range of motion – Five to 10 repetitions of each stretch – Hold 1 to 2 seconds each

Dynamic Stretching – Stretching that involves moving and using force and momentum to generate full range of motion – Great for warm-up activity before exercise

Summary • Muscle imbalances and poor movement patterns can be corrected with flexibility • Have beginner clients use corrective flexibility for warm-up and cool-down • Use active and functional flexibility as needed with more advanced clients or when beginner clients show improvements