Flexibility Flashcards
Flexibility:
ability of a joint, or series of joints, to move through a full ROM without injury
Flexibility is important for:
- various sports
- various occupations
- ADLs
- maintain ROM during aging
- rehab
Does flexibility really prevent injuries?
- intuitively yes, research wise - difficult to directly prove
- what about individuals who are hyper-mobile?
Static flexibility:
ability to move a joint through the total ROM and maintain the limits of that range
Dynamic flexibility:
ability to move a joint quickly through a ROM and is dependent on the resistance of the joint to the movement
5 characteristics of static flexibility:
- safe, low risk of injury
- low energy requirement
- practical to assess
- standardized protocols
- valid and reliable in most cases
5 characteristics of dynamic flexibility:
- safety is questionable
- higher energy demanding (depending on movement type and velocity)
- standardization is difficult to control
- more difficult to establish validity and reliability
- more realistic with respect to health/performance
Factors influencing flexibility:
- joint structure
- soft tissues
- contracture
- age
- body type
- gender
The structure of the joint capsule and the interface between the articulating surfaces (bones) influence flexibility by ____%. How easy is it to alter?
- 47%
- difficult
What % do soft tissues influence flexibility? How easy is it to alter?
- muscles, fascia = 41%
- tendons, ligaments = 10%
- skin = 2%
- quite feasible
Contracture:
due to chronic immobilization or shortening of a joint (spasticity) such that soft tissues loses its elasticity and remain permanently shortened
How does age affect flexibility?
- generally flexibility decreases with age
- elasticity of soft tissues decreases
- levels of arthritis increase
How does body type affect flexibility?
- excessive muscle mass and body fat can influence flexibility
- does not necessarily mean body builders or obese individuals are not flexible
How does gender affect flexibility?
- generally women are more flexible than men at all ages
- due to anatomical differences (eg. pelvis structure) and hormones
- but men may have greater ROM in hip extension/spinal flexion so it is somewhat joint specific
Direct methods of static flexibility:
- equipment used to measure ROM about a joint in degrees
- measure angular displacements between adjacent segments or from an external reference
- Leighton Flexometer is the most common and convenient method
How does the Leighton Flexometer work?
- has a weighted 360 degree dial and pointer to measure ROM in relation to the downward pull of gravity on the dial and pointer
- can be strapped to a variety of standardized positions on limbs and measures ROM in degrees
Limitations of Leighton Flexometer:
difficult to distinguish between hip and trunk ROM
How does the goniometer work?
- uses a 360 dial to measure ROM
- ROM is measured throughout the movement pattern in degrees
Limitations of goniometer:
validity and reliability are good, but can be influenced by difficulties in locating the joint centre and maintaining position
Other indirect methods to measure flexibility:
inclinometer
How does the inclinometer work?
- gravity dependent device that is hand-held on pre-determined body parts and can measure ROM in degrees
- clinically convenient
Other direct methods to measure flexibility:
isokinetic dynamometer
How do isokinetic dynamometers work?
can provide isolated joint ROM (can accurately measure dynamic flexibility)
Characteristics of indirect methods of measuring flexiblity:
- involve the linear measurement of distances between segments or from an external object
- usually involves distance measured by a tape measurer as opposed to ROM in degrees
- very practical
- can be very reliable, but validity is questionable
