quiz #3- flexibility

musculotendinous unit's ability to elongate with the force of stretching

• tendons: tightly packed collagen (low elastic)
• fascia: mainly collagen tissue (elastic variable)
• ligaments: mainly collagen tissue (most elastic)

limits is

• tendons
• fascia
• ligaments

• muscle
• (fast twitch is more elastic than slow twitch)

the amount of titan

• joint bony structure
• resistance to movement within a joint
• gender
• age
• inactivity/immobilization
• neuromuscular and mechanical influences

women more flexible than men (in college kids)

• decreases
• because of cross linking of collagen, inactivity, or both

• muscle atrophy in 2 weeks
• increased fibrous and fatty tissue in muscle
• CT ground substance reduced leading to increased collagen cross links
• fibro-fatty CT in jt space within two weeks
• develop fibrous adhesions

• the muscle spindle acts as a protective mechanism (spindle reflex causes contraction of the muscle, so ballistic or overstretching activates the spindle)
• golgi tendon organ when activated cauesse autogenic inhibition of contracted muscle serving as a protective mechanism

• Decrease in overlap of thick actin and thin myosin filaments until sacromeres have reached maximum length, lengthening the CT
• the collagen fibers in CT align parallel with each other

no increase hypothesizing that the changes in ROM is from changes in the tolerance to stretching rather than an increase in fiber of CT length

• manual passive stretching
• prolonged mechanical passive stretching
• cyclic mechanical stretching
• static self stretching
• ballistic stretching
• contract relax
• agonist contract
• contract relax with agonist contract

the therapist applices force and controls direction, intensity, velocity and duration

low intensity/load that could take 20 minutes to several hours

cylcic force, direction, intensity, velocity, and duration are adjusted iwth the unit

• 15-30 seconds (shown to be as effective as 60 seconds)
• repeat 4-6 times

• improve flexibility: 3-7 days/wk
• maintain: 1/wk
• detrain: gains are maintained 2-4 weeks

low-load, long duration (>2 min) which elevates the tissue temp so it lengthens the collagen

• increase ROM
• held >6 secs activates the GTO so get greater lengthing
• no partner required

• in athletes it may downtrain the spindle reflex response so the muscle spindles may not fire and increase the probability of overstretching injuries
• may result in large difference in AROM and PROM

No but significant deficits in flexibility are related to increased injury rates, increased rate of overuse injuries, and history of fall in elderly

• increased flexibility of a tight muscle may increase its peak torque production
• stretching a muscle that is not tight before performance may decrease its maximal torwue production

• effectiveness is limited becuase it doesn't allow time for stress-relaxation and creep to occur
• ROM results equivalent to static stretching but higher potential for injury with uncontrolled movement

• stretch to point of tension and hold 15 seconds
• maximal isometric contraction of muscle and hold for 10 seconds
• repeat 4-6 times

• isometric contraction activates the GTO reflex so the muscle being stretched relaxes better so it can be maximally elongated
• but this theory has been refuted

• pt dynamically contracts the agonist (muscle opposite the tight muscle) which produces reciprocal inhibition of antagonist muscle
• the relaxed tight muscle is then more easily moved into the newly aquired ROM

• being with CR
• followed by AC
• combines autogenic and reciprocal inhibition

maintenance of the anterior pelvic tilt more important than method of stretching

• flexible least in the am, so greater potential of overstretching
• flexible greatest in the afternoon

• if activity involves full ROM --> stretch prior
• if activity doesn't involve full ROM --> stretch after (jogging)

• recent soft tissue repair
• osteoporosis
• prolonged immobilization
• pain lasting greater than 24 hours post stretch
• edematous joints and tissues

• bone block
• fracture or non-unio
• acute inflammation or infection
• sharp pain
• hematoma

• Goni
• tests of muscle length (obers, thomas)

• scratch test
• 90/90 test (hamstrings)
• Ely test (rectus femoris)
• Thomas test (iliopsoas)
• ankle DF (gastroc/soleus)
• Obers (IT band)
• Trunk Extension

• thumb to forearm (2)
• 5th MCP passive extension >90 (2)
• elbow hyperextension >10 (2)
• knee hyperextension >10 (2)
• palms to floor (1)
• 0-3= normal
• 4-9= ligament laxity (hypermobile)