Flexibility Objectives ou read this chapter, look for answers to these ey questions: How is joint movement limited? © Why is flexibility important? * What is the difference between static stretching and dynamic stretching? © How may the training principles be applied to improve flexibility? © What safety precautions should be taken when you are engaging in flexibility exercises? How is flexibility evaluated? . The rubber band theory applies to each of us; we will be no good until stretched.??Chapter Preview © What Is Flexibility? ‘© Types of Stretching © Application of Training Principles © Flexibility Safety Precautions * Flexibility Assessment © Setting Goals to Improve Flexibility © Flexibility Exercises * Harmful Stretching Positions © PFP Update © Summary © The Wrap-Up Flexibility is an essential fitness component in both your everyday life, as well as when you engage in physical activity. It is important that you stretch to increase the length of both your muscles and tendons. The more range of motion you have, the more your joints can move without injury. Stretching will not only help reduce the chance of injury, minimize muscle soreness, stimulate blood flow, and it is also a great stress ~ reliever. Vocabulary When you have completed this chapter, you should understand the meaning of these vocabulary terms: joint ligament muscle tendon static stretching dynamic stretching PNF stretching ballistic stretchingJoints of the human body > HAT Is FLEXIBILITY? What comes to your mind when the word flexibility is men- tioned? Do you think of a circus acrobat tumbling about, a yoga instructor with legs behind his head, or a dancer doing splits? Everyone has flexibility to some degree, even the armchair athlete. Flexibility is the ability to move body joints through a full range of motion. A joint is the point at which two bones come together. Examples of joints are the wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. Notice that all joints do not move in the same way or to the same degree. The amount of movement in a joint is limited by the way it is formed. Pivot joints, such as the neck, permit a rotating motion. Hinge joints, such as the knee, permit a back-and- forth motion, while the hip and shoulders have a ball-and- socket formation, allowing for movement in many different directions. Your wrists and ankles have gliding joints that allow bones to slide over one another. Pot ‘ising _ © Chapter 6A Soft tissue limits flexibility. ————— Goa Setine While you may not be able to achieve the Hexbility of a gymnast, you can definitely realize the benefits cf improved Meibilty by using the overload variables (FIT) as applied to stretching. Make a habit of stretching while talking on the telephone or during television ‘commercials. —S— Individuals of the same age may have different levels of flexibility due to past and present physical activity, How Is Joint Movement Limited? The direction in which a joint moves cannot be changed because of bone structure. For example, the bone structures of the elbow and knee joints set a very definite limit on how far the arm and leg can extend. These are mechanical factors that cannot be greatly modified. In other joints, such as the ankle and hip, the limitation on range of motion is imposed by soft tissue and can be modified. This soft tissue is in the form of ligaments, muscles, and tendons. It is possible to improve the amount of motion in a joint by performing exercises that alter these soft tissues. * Ligament: strong fibrous tissue that attaches one bone to another ‘* Muscle: meaty tissue that surrounds bones * Tendon: connective tissue that anchors the muscle to bone To help you remember what makes up soft tissue, think of the terms in alphabetical order. First, ligaments attach bone to bone. Muscles cover over or surround the bone. Finally, tendons anchor the muscle to the bone. Why Is Flexibility Important? A reasonable amount of flexibility (joint movement) is required to live a healthy and functional life, both at work and play. Since the loss of flexibility occurs gradually, you probably will not realize you are experiencing a decrease in flexibility until a problem arises. Almost everyone has observed older adults and noticed that some are more flexible than others. As one ages, some individuals are more active, while others allow their muscles to be underused. Eventually, atvempring to do simple motions causes discomfort. This is due in part Flexibility @ Goodshoot— OO __. Sarety AWARNESS It is important to warm up before physical activity and cool down aherward. This involves stretching your muscles before and after contracting them to prevent injury ® Chapter 6 to the level of present physical activity in which they are involved and the amount of past physical activity. Reduces Injuries A lack of flexibility can result in joint or muscle injury during exercise or daily activities. While your strength and aerobic capacity will increase with exercise, your flexibility, in some cases, may decrease with weight training and aerobic conditioning. For this reason, every muscle strengthened must also be stretched to maintain and improve flexibility as much as possible. All athletes, including professional football players, now supplement their weight training and conditioning programs with stretching exercises that improve flexibility. The great benefit of stretching is that you are able to increase the length of both muscles and tendons. This helps to increase your range of movement, enabling you to move your joints and limbs further before an injury occurs. The berter conditioned your muscles and tendons are, the better they can handle sport and exercise, thereby decreasing the chance of injury. Prevents Post-Exercise Pi Post-exercise pain and stiffness caused by muscle spasms can be prevented or reduced by stretching exercises. Including warm- up and cool-down sessions in your workout will stretch shortened muscles and, therefore, help prevent muscular soreness. The warm-up increases the blood supply to your muscles, raises their temperature, and makes them more flexible and resistant to injury. After exercising, a cool-down period of mild exercise can prevent muscle problems by gradually stretching the muscles you used. It can also prevent blood from pooling in the area exercised. Helps Relieve Emotional Tension Tight muscles arise from many causes including emotional tension. Stretching is an exercise that can help relax tense muscles. Stretching the muscles in your neck, shoulders, and upper back is an especially useful way to relax because these muscles often become tense when you sit for long periods. Have you ever seen adults who work in an office stretch or bend their heads from side to side? Have you ever stretched your wrist and arm when taking a written exam? These movements are attempts to relieve tight muscles caused by tension.Reduces Chance of Low Back Pain Low back pain is one of the most common ailments. It has been estimated that 80 percent of the population in the United States suffers from backaches. To maintain a healthy back, you must have a balance of flexibility, strength, and endurance. The major considerations are * Low back lumbar flexibility Hamstring flexibility Hip flexor flexibility Strength and endurance of the forward and lateral abdominals, and Strength and endurance of the back extensor muscles Types of | When you compare the effectiveness and safety of the various Stretching stretching methods, there are only two types that can safely improve flexibility: static and dynamic. Static stretching is the more acceptable method of increasing flexibility. The process involves slowly moving the muscle to its stretching point and holding this position for 15 to 30 seconds. Dynamic stretching involves a similar position but is done in a continuous, slow, and controlled manner. This method of stretching should not be confused with ballistic or bouncing type stretching in which the motion is done rapidly. Ballistic stretching usually involves bobbing, bouncing, or jerky movements that use the body's momentum. This type of stretching is sometimes harmful because you may exceed the stretchable limits of the tissues involved. Internet Resources " Physical Fitness and Healthy Low Back Function—The President's ‘Council on Physical Fitness and Sports html Exercises/Stretches—Georgia St. University ‘httpywww.9su.edul-wwwfit/flexibility. htm! Personalized Interactive Web Site to Plan Program—Centers for Disease Control httpv/www.bam,govifitdlife/index.htm Flexibility ©