Chapter 7 Flexibility

Question 1

All clients have muscle

Answer 1

imbalances

Question 2

Muscle imbalances are caused by

Answer 2

sedentary lifestyle and/or repetitive movement causes tight/weak muscles

advanced technology reduces overall activity level

Question 3

Role of flexibility in injury

Answer 3

injury usually due to decreased flexibility

may inhibit the client’s ability to achieve their goals

Question 4

Flexibility

Answer 4

ability to move a joint through its complete range of motion (ROM)

Question 5

ROM

Answer 5

(range of motion)

dictated by the normal extensibility of all soft tissues surrounding it

Question 6

Neuromuscular Efficiency recruits the correct muscles to (4)

Answer 6

produce force
reduce force
dynamically stabilize
in all three planes of motion

Question 7

Neuromuscular Efficiency Cable Pulldown (muscle and joints plus their joint action)

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Neuromuscular Efficiency Cable Pulldown

3

Answer 8

• 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

Question 9

Mulitplanar Flexibility Latissimus Dorsi (3 planes)

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Factors influencing flexibility (10)

Answer 10

genetics
connective tissue elasticity
joint structure
antagonistic strength 
body composition
gender 
age
activity level 
injury history or other medical conditions
repetitive movements

Question 11

Human Movement System

Answer 11

Kinetic Chain

HMS - Skeletal System, Nervous System, Muscular System

Question 12

Postural distortion pattern

Answer 12

misalignment of one or more segments of the human movement system

Question 13

Postural distortion pattern can lead to

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Flexibility Training

Answer 14

must be a multifaceted approach, integrating various flexibility techniques to achieve optimum soft tissue extensibility in all planes of motion

Question 15

Poor flexibility leads to the development of

Answer 15

relative flexibility.

the phenomenon of the HMS seeking the path of least resistance during functional movement patterns

Question 16

Relative Flexibility Example Squat (tight calves)

Answer 16

heels lift off the floor
feet turn out (external rotation)
legs too wide or knees collapse in (adduction)

Question 17

Relative Flexibility Example Shoulder Press (tight lats)

Answer 17

can’t lift arms above head

must tilt thoracic spine back (arch lumbar spine)

Question 18

Muscle Imbalance Results in…

Answer 18

altered reciprocal inhibition
synergistic dominance
arthrokinetic dysfunction

Question 19

Altered Reciprocal Inhibition

Answer 19

Caused by a tight agonist which inhibits its functional antagonist

Leads to synergistic dominance

Question 20

Synergistic Dominance

Answer 20

occurs when synergists take over a function for a weak or inhibited prime mover

Leads to Arthokinetic Dysfunction

Question 21

Arthokinetic dysfunction

Answer 21

altered forces at the joint resulting in abnormal joint movement and proprioception

Question 22

Mechanoreceptors

Muscle Spindles

Answer 22

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)

Question 23

Mechanoreceptors

Golgi tendon organ

Answer 23

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)

Question 24

Golgi tendon organ Autogenic inhibition

Answer 24

stimulating the GTO’s of a stretched muscle to force relaxation (inhibition of the muscle spindle action of that muscle)

Question 25

Golgi tendon organ Reciprocal Inhibition

Answer 25

stimulation of the antagonist muscle to force relaxation in the stretched muscle (inhibition of muscle spindle action of opposite muscle)

Question 26

Pattern Overload

Answer 26

consistently repeating the same pattern of motion - training the same way - repetitive movement at work - sedentary lifestyle

Question 27

Cumulative Injury Cycle (7)

Answer 27

``` Cumulative Injury cycle tissue trama inflammation muscle spasm adhesions altered neuromuscular control muscle imbalance ```

Question 28

Flexibility Continuum (Flexibility should follow a systematic progression)

Answer 28

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

Question 29

Corrective Flexibility (Flexibility Continuum)

Answer 29

Self myofascial release (foam rolling) | Static stretching

Question 30

Active Flexibility (Flexibility Continuum)

Answer 30

Self myofascial release (foam rolling) | active isolated stretching

Question 31

Functional Flexibility (Flexibility Continuum)

Answer 31

Self myofascial release (foam rolling) | Dynamic stretching

Question 32

Self Myofascial Release

Answer 32

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

Question 33

Static Stretching

Answer 33

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)

Question 34

Active Isolated Stretching

Answer 34

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

Question 35

Dynamic stretching

Answer 35

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