Unit 6, Flexibility & Mobility: Adaptations, assessment and designing programs

Question 1

Flexibility vs Mobility

Answer 1

Flexibility: the ability of a muscle or muscle group to be moved passively through a range of motion
Mobility: the ability of a joint/muscle group to move through actively through range of motion
- often referred to interchangeably, and both impact the overall movement of a joint/body as a whole

Question 2

ROM: Range of Motion (passive or active)

Answer 2

Passive: how far joints/muscles can move when all tissue is relaxed and it is being moved by an external force
- considered the true ROM of a joint
Active: how far joints/muscles can move by the action of the person
- considered to be the functional ROM
functional ROM is how much of the movement can the person control and use well/safely

Question 3

Benefits of Stretching and Flexibility

Answer 3

• increases compliance of muscle-tendon unit
• increased temperature of joint fluid
• improves efficient movement of joints through desired and normal ROM for a task
  (if there is reduced ROM at a joint and you can ask it to a do a movement, the body may compensate and use other joints to do the movement, which may overstrain tissues not strong enough to do the job ex. squatting and hip ROM -> low back compensation)

Question 4

Benefits (2)

Answer 4

Improves and maintains joint health
- may delay progression of arthritis (inflammation and swelling of joint)
Enhances postural stability and balance
- health of tissues and receptors in joints
- * when combined with resistance training
May help in prevention of pain and injuries, especially in areas such as the low back
- poor flexibility may increase injury risk
- overstretching may decrease stability in a joint

Question 5

Benefits (3)

Answer 5

• temporary reduction in post-exercise muscle soreness
• relief of aches, pains, muscle cramps
• improved body position for strength and sport
• relaxation
• lifetime wellness benefits

Question 6

What determines flexibility & mobility?

Answer 6

Joint structure:
- joints vary in direction and range of movement
- different types of joints
- disease or injury of malformations
- joint capsules: semi-elastic structures that give joints strength and stability but limit movement
Muscle structure:
- elasticity, length and health
- influenced by connective tissues including:
‣ collagen: protein that provides
structure and support, transmits force
‣ elastin: elastic and enable stretch
‣ titin: muscle filament with elastic properties,
springlike

Question 7

Muscle elasticity and length

Answer 7

relaxed: in the resting state, the connective tissue has a wavelike structure
stretching 1: the wave-like structure of the connective tissue straightens (takes relaxed tissues and stretches it)
stretching 2: the connective lengthens (actually pulling on it)

Question 8

Action at a joint

Answer 8

• muscle moves joints
  Agonist: muscle(s) that contract to move the joint (biceps, hamstrings)
  Antagonist: muscle(s) that relax to allow movement at the joint (quadriceps)

Question 9

Proprioception

Answer 9

• perception of awareness of the position and movement of the body (ex. can tell what it is doing even if eyes are closed)
• proprioceptors (specialized nerve cells and nerve bundles) within muscles and tendons
  
  • muscle spindle
  • golgi tendon organ (GTO)

Question 10

Strength Reflex (Myotatic Reflex)

Answer 10

• muscle lengthens
• muscle spindles senses stretching of muscle and sends signal at CNS at spinal cord
  *muscle spindle is long thin nerve receptor
  found in muscle belly
  *monitors muscle length and speed on
  lengthening
• CNS (spinal cord) responds by sending a signal to contract the muscle
  *the greater the speed of the stretch, the
  stronger the reflex reaction

Question 11

Part 2: Autogenic Inhibition

Answer 11

• the contracting of the muscle pulls on its tendon
• the Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO) in the tendon, sense the stretch on the tendon and sends a message to the CNS at spinal cord
• CNS responds by telling the muscle to relax to take the strain off the tendon (inhibits contraction)
• thus allowing the muscle to stretch

Question 12

Reciprocal Inhibition

Answer 12

• contraction of the muscle (agonist) causes its opposing muscle (antagonist) to relax
• signal is part of stretch reflex from the muscle spindle

Question 13

Timing of Stretch Reflex

Answer 13

stretch reflex takes about 7-10 seconds for it to cause enough stretch to trigger the GTO

Question 14

Types of Stretching

Answer 14

passive stretching: muscle that are stretched by force applied by an outside source
active stretching: muscle are stretched by a contraction of opposing muscles
isometric: contract without movement

Question 15

Types of Stretching (2)

Answer 15

static stretching: slowly stretching muscle and holding the stretched position
ballistic stretching: suddenly stretching a muscle through bouncing or swinging movement, using momentum
dynamic stretching: active movements where muscle and joints move through full ROM
proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF): combines passive and isometric stretching

Question 16

PNF: proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation

Answer 16

• technique that combines passive stretching with isometric stretching
• takes advantage of the neuromuscular reflexes to maximize flexibility
  -> stretched muscles are contracted isometrically and isotonically and then relaxed and passively stretched

Question 17

PNF: HOLD-RELAX & CONTRACT-RELAX

Answer 17

Hold-relax
- assume initial stretch position
- contract muscle to be stretched isometrically for 7-15 seconds, then very briefly relax for 2 seconds
- passively stretch the muscle further than initial stretch, hold for 10-15 seconds
Contract-relax
- assume initial stretch position
- contract muscle to be stretched and allow it to move against resistance through its full ROM (isotonic contraction), then relax briefly
- passively stretch the muscle further past initial position, hold 10-15s
* relax for 20 seconds between reps, repeat 3-4 times
autogenic inhibition

Question 18

PNF: CONTRACT-RELAX-ANTAGONIST CONTRACT (CRAC)

Answer 18

• involves 2 isometric contractions
  ◦ first agonist, then antagonist
• assume initial passive stretch
• contract target muscles for 7-15 seconds
• then contract antagonist to target muscle for 7-15 seconds
• relax 20 seconds before repeating 2-3x
• contract at 20-75% MVC for all
  reciprocal inhibition

Question 19

Assessing Flexibility

Answer 19

ROM assessments are specific to each joint
General tools and approaches:
- tape measure
- goniometer
- sit and reach
- eyeball it

Question 20

Measures: Directly (angular) & indirectly (linear)

Answer 20

linear
- measures distance between segments from an external object
- often uses ruler/tape measure
angular
- measures angular displacement or angle of movement at a particular joint
- expressed in degrees
labs: sit and reach, WTK, McGill Torso, scratch test

Question 21

Programming flexibility: FITT

Answer 21

Frequency -> how often to stretch
Intensity -> how far to stretch
Time -> how long to stretch
Type -> what exercises to do

Question 22

Frequency (f)

Answer 22

4-7 day per week
2-3 x each muscle/muscle group
- do it often
◦ because a lot of adjustments happening in flexibility are driven by the nervous system, change needs to be reinforced often for learning, and will happen relatively quickly when compared with other systems
◦ it still takes times

Question 23

Intensity

Answer 23

• it depends
• generally speaking: stretch to the point of slight tension and mild discomfort
  dynamic stretching: move through pain free ranges of motion, can go to point of gentle tension at either end of movement

Question 24

Time

Answer 24

• it depends
• hold each stretch for 10-30 seconds
• rest for 20-60s between stretches (of same muscle)
• do 4-6 reps of each stretch (total time under tension: 40s to 3 minutes)
  dynamic stretching: spend 30-60s with each movement

Question 25

Type

Answer 25

• it depends
• before workout: dynamic stretching or ballistic stretching
  ◦ *sometimes static stretching beforehand, especially when trying to achieve a particular ROM or rehab goal in your workout/performance. must be followed up with targeted dynamic stretching or strength/activation
• after workout: static stretching (or when muscles are warm)

Question 26

Static Stretching (FITT guidelines)

Answer 26

frequency: 5-7 days/week (2-3 minimum)
intensity: point of mild discomfort, mild tension
time: 2-4 reps, hold 10-60 secs (15-30 secs)
type: joint/muscle specific
- under control and full ROM
- Static stretching in warm up may decrease subsequent performance:
◦ decreased force, power, running speed, reaction and movement time, endurance

Question 27

Dynamic Stretching (FITT guidelines)

Answer 27

frequency: 5-7 days/week (2-3 minimum)
intensity: mild tension
time: 8-12 reps, 1-2 sets, 1 min rest in between
type: joint/muscle specific
- under control and full ROM
nerve flossing and motion is lotion

Question 28

Making Progress

Answer 28

• if guidelines are followed
• noticeable improvements in 2-3 weeks
• 10-20% improvement in flexibility after about 2 months in many joints
  -> use it or lost it
  -> NB: heavily influenced by genetics

Question 29

Foam Rolling

Answer 29

• may increase blood flow to the tissues, which may increase muscle temp
• brings awareness to the area (triggers receptors to tell the brain to pay attention to this area)
• can help desensitize the area
  in terms of performance, as best we know right now:
• when done BEFORE a workout, foam rolling might improve flexibility
• when done AFTER a workout, foam rolling might improve pain
• it does NOT improve strength during a physiological recovery processes after a workout