Injury Breakdown: Stretching... the Truth: Part II
by Abby Sims
Flexibility is but one aspect of fitness, yet it is an important one. In general, the tighter you are, the more time you are advised to invest in stretching.
Your primary goal in doing so is injury prevention. However, as with our body types – whether we are muscular or very thin, large boned or small – some of us are hard-wired to be flexible and others tight.
Some of us are born to be gymnasts or ballet dancers and others, no matter the amount of training, would ever succeed in an arena where extreme flexibility is the norm. Genetics play a role in the absolute flexibility each of us can achieve. Set your personal flexibility goals with that in mind. Also crucial – stretch gently, without pain and stretch consistently to achieve lasting benefits.
There are various methods of stretching, some being more effective than others. You may also have a personal preference. Here are some of the more common options:
Static (passive)
– Active Isolation (static)
– Active (dynamic)
– Contract – Relax (PNF)
– Strain – Counterstrain – Positional Release
Static Stretching (Passive)
Static stretching is the most traditional way to stretch and remains a viable and popular option. A muscle is put in a position of stretch over its entire length and held in its lengthened position (hence the name static) for a period of 30 seconds. Research has demonstrated that the best results are achieved by repeating a static stretch four times. Static stretches can be performed independently or with a partner. There are a variety of positions in which muscles can be put on stretch, and some are more desirable than others. For example, the hamstrings (in the back of the thigh) run from the pelvis (at the ischial tuberosity, or "sit bone") to just below the knee. The actions of the hamstrings (when they contract) are to extend the hip (bringing the thigh behind you) and flex (bend) the knee. Therefore, to stretch the hamstring over its entire length, one must do the opposite – flex the hip and extend (straighten) the knee. A good way to do this is to lie on your back and use your hands (or a towel) to hold your leg toward your chest, then straighten the knee as much as possible.
After you've taken up all the slack in the muscle and feel a stretch, hold the position for 30 seconds. You will likely stretch a little further with each subsequent repetition. Not every passive stretch is a good one however. Hamstring stretching positions that cause you to rotate your trunk or round your back as you lean forward go beyond the slack in the hamstring and stress the low back. These are not advisable. The forward bending should come exclusively from the hips and your back should remain in a neutral position. That rules out standing with straight knees and trying to touch the floor or hoisting your foot onto a very high surface and bending forward. Instead, try elevating your foot on a low stool or sitting on the edge of a chair with your leg stretched in front of you. Bend forward from the hip with a straight back. The result? Less effort, better stretch, reduced potential for injury. The more exaggerated positions often observed in the gym are all about show and not good technique. Avoid the competition to see whose leg is higher and you won't sacrifice your body for your ego!
Active Isolation Stretching – Static
Active Isolation stretching is exactly what its name implies – a muscle is stretched by actively contracting its opposing muscle. Studies have demonstrated that the result of contracting one muscle (termed the agonist) is the relaxation of that muscle's opposite, or antagonist. Let's use the hamstrings as an example once again.
Contracting your quadriceps (the muscle group in the front of the thigh whose action is to straighten your knee and assist in flexing your hip), will result in the relaxation of your hamstrings (in the back of your thigh).
Proponents of Active Isolation recommend holding the end position for only a few seconds. Many athletes endorse this type of stretching and it has been shown to be very effective.
Active Stretching – Dynamic
Active Dynamic Stretching entails movements that put muscles on stretch. Because they involve movement, these stretches are said to increase muscle temperature and prepare muscles for activity. Dynamic stretches are also said to put joints through their full ranges of motion, though that is not likely because a joint can only be moved to its end range when the muscles crossing that joint are on slack (relaxed) rather than on stretch.
Examples of active/dynamic stretches include motions such as a lunge, which puts the hip flexors (in front of the hip/groin) on stretch, and the Inch Worm in which one creeps forward while maintaining a Downward Facing Dog yoga position (on the hands and feet with the butt high), which stretches the hamstrings.
If you like Active Dynamic Stretches I would not rely on them as the sole means of increasing your flexibility. Because muscles are stretched in combination with this technique – for instance the calf along with the hamstring in the Inch Worm exercise – if one of those muscles is particularly tight, it will limit your ability to stretch the other. Also, as with ballistic stretching, care must be taken to avoid setting off a stretch reflex due to the quick stretch that movement may elicit.
Contract – Relax (PNF)
PNF stands for Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation. This is a broad classification that includes both strengthening and flexibility exercises. PNF strengthening entails a variety of effective exercises that involve multiple muscle groups working in combination to perform functional cross-planar motions (working in diagonal patterns rather than strengthening individual muscles in isolation).
PNF stretching is better known as Contract – Relax (C-R) and it has long been employed by physical therapists and athletic trainers to assist clients in developing increased flexibility. Contract – Relax has both active and static components. This type of stretching is based on research demonstrating that tension in a muscle is relaxed in the aftermath of contracting that same muscle. This is quite different than the principle already described for active isolation stretching which shows that a muscle also relaxes with the contraction of its opposing muscle.
C-R is most easily performed with a partner. Using the hamstrings to illustrate once again: the hamstrings are held in a position of mild stretch (with the knee extended – straight – and the hip maintained in flexion) and are asked to contract gently. This contraction is sub-maximal (only a mild force is exerted) and it is isometric (no movement is allowed). This isometric hamstring contraction (to extend the hip) is held for several seconds while the position is maintained with the aid of a partner. You often see baseball players doing this with their trainers on the field in their pre-game warm-ups. Following the gentle contraction there is a relax phase, during which the partner attempts to gently move the hip into greater flexion (while keeping the knee straight), thereby further stretching the hamstring. The sequence is: contract (actively) – hold the contraction – relax/stretch (passively). Several repetitions are performed with the ending position of each rep becoming the starting position of the next. As a result, significant gains can be seen.
Strain – Counterstrain (Positional Release)
Another staple in physical therapy clinics, Strain – Counterstrain (S-CS) is a technique to release a muscle rather than stretch it, but the end result is more flexibility. By passively maintaining a muscle in its fully contracted position for 90 seconds it has been shown that the muscle will relax, subsequently allowing it to stretch further. Though often done with the assistance of a partner or health professional, Strain – Counterstrain positions can be maintained independently (as with holding the knees to the chest for the hip flexors) or with the help of pillows (as when releasing the outer thigh muscles, the hip abductors, in side-lying by elevating the upper thigh on pillows). You may want to follow Strain – Counterstrain positioning with static stretching to capitalize on newly gained flexibility.
Conclusion
Just as we work to achieve balance in our lives, we also benefit from working toward a balance within our bodies. Having normal flexibility is an important component of this balanced ideal and one that will help to prevent the stresses and strains that result in overuse injuries.
