Flexibility (chap 4) Flashcards
Connective tissue
- bone - tendon - mm - skin - hyaline cartilage - joint capsule - fascia
Collagen
Found in all connective tissues
- building block of connective tissues
- provides tensile strength
Elastin
<1%
- recoil of tissues
Stress
Amount of tension or load placed on the tissues (load / unit area)
Strain
Proportional degree of elongation that occurs during stress
Recovery
Ability of tissues to return to their previous resting state
Creep
Gradual lengthening of tissues when they are subjected to constant or repeated stress over a long duration
Speed
Slower stress = greater strain
***
Faster rates of stress = less elongation
Connective tissue properties
- Elastic deformaiton: ability of a tissue to return to its original resting length when stress is removed
- Plastic deformation: tendency of tissue to assume a new and greater length after the stretch force has been removed
- ex plastic spoon: fast bend and snap, slow bend and bent
Connective tissue retraints
- connective tissue is a passive restraint to joint motion.
- muscle tissue is an active restraint to joint motion (guarding or contracture)
- greater flexibility with warmer temps
Flexibility
The ability of a mm to relax and yield to a stretch force
- ability to move a single joint or series of joints smoothly and easily through an unrestricted, pain-free ROM
ROM
Amount. Of movement available to a joint moving within its anatomical range
Flexibility determinants
- mm length
- joint ROM
- joint mobility
- extensibility of surrounding soft tissues (skin, tendons, ligaments, joint capsule)
- joint arthrokinematics and osteokinematics
- strength (stability, control, position)
Dynamic flexibility
Active mobility or active ROM
- limited by strength
Passive flexibility
Passive mobility or passive ROM
- dependent on tissue surrounding joint
- can be a prerequisite, but does not ensure, dynamic flexibility
Static stretching
Placing a mm in a fully elongated position and holding that position for a period of time
- prevent or minimize the risk of soft-tissue injury during activity
- improve flexibility
- prevent contracture
- takes 6+ weeks to increase
- manual stretch hold at least 60 seconds to produce change
- low load, long duration takes 20-30 min, best results, decreased injury
Dynamic stretching
Performed actively by moving joints (pre activity)
- body weighted or eliminated position
- through available ROM
- gradually increase range and speed
- does not diminish torque production
Ballistic stretching
Will not use in therapy, not good
- bounce at end of ROM
- high risk of injry to the connective and contractile tissue
- used for cramps
Types of stress
- Tension: the resistance to a force applied i a manner that will lengthen the tissue. A stretching force results in tension stress
- Compression: resistance to a force applied in a manner that approximates tissue. Weight bearing througha joint will produce compression stresses
- Shear: resistance to 2+ forces that are applied in opposing directions
Muscle spindle
Major sensory organ of mm and is sensitive to quick and sustained (tonic) stretch
- detect and convey information about mm length changes and the velocity of those chagnes
Golgi tendon organ
Monitor chagnes in tension of mm-tendon units
- sensitive even slight chagnes of tensions ona mm-tendon unit brought on by passive stretch or active mm contractions during normal movement
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)
Reflex inhibition and subsequent elongation of the contractile elements of the mm
- involves the GTO in the myotendious junction, and the mm spindles
Autogenic inhibition
PNF principle
- a reglex relation that occurs in the same mm wehere the Golgi tendon organ is stimulated
- via isometric or isotonic contraction
Reciprocal inhibition
PNF principle
- contracting the opposing mm group to that being stretched in order to achieve a reflex muscular relation that occurs in the mm that is opposite the mm where the GTO is stimulated