Objectives

 Explain the importance of muscular flexibility to adequate fitness.

 Identify the factors that affect muscular flexibility.
 Explain the health-fitness benefits of stretching.
 Become familiar with a battery of tests to assess overall body
flexibility.
 Be able to interpret flexibility test results according to health-
fitness and physical-fitness standards.
 Learn the principles that govern development of muscular
flexibility.
 List some exercises that may cause injury.
 Become familiar with a program for preventing and rehabilitating
low-back pain.
 Create your own personal flexibility profile.
Muscular Flexibility

Module 8
 Introduction
 Flexibility
 The achievable range of motion at a joint or

group of joints without causing injury

 Lack of flexibility or improper stretching leads to

muscular/skeletal problems and injuries

 Usually occur when a tight muscle is abruptly
forced beyond its achievable range of motion
 Benefits of Good Flexibility
 Promotes healthy muscles and joints
 Improves elasticity of muscles and connective
tissue around joints, enhancing freedom of
movement
 Makes activities of daily living (turning, lifting,
and bending) easier to perform
 Regular stretching increases circulation to the
muscles
 Helps prevent low-back and other spinal
column problems
 Benefits of Good Flexibility
 Improves and maintains good postural
alignment
 Promotes proper and graceful body
movement
 Improves personal appearance and self-
image
 Helps develop and maintain motor skills
throughout life
 Benefits of Good Flexibility
 Flexibility exercises have been
prescribed successfully to treat
 Dysmenorrhea
 General neuromuscular tension

 Aches and pains caused by

psychological stress
 Flexibility in Older Adults
 Good range of motion is critical in older life
 Lack of good range of motion can severely
hamper mobility
 Lack of flexibility may cause falls and other
injury
 A simple stretching program can alleviate or
prevent this problem and help people return
to an exercise program and normal ADLs
 Factors Affecting Flexibility
 Genetic factors  Tendons
 Physical activity  Muscles
 Joint structure (shape of  Skin
the bones)  Tissue injury
 Joint cartilage  Adipose tissue (fat)
 Ligaments  Age
 Body temperature  Gender

All influence range of motion about a joint

 Factors Affecting Flexibility
 Range of motion about a joint depends
primarily on the structure of that joint
 Greater range of motion can be attained
through plastic and elastic elongation
 Plastic elongation
 Permanent lengthening of soft tissue
 Elastic elongation
 Temporary lengthening of soft tissue
 Evaluating Body Posture
 Good posture enhances
 Personal appearance
 Self-image
 Confidence
 Improves balance and endurance
 Protects against misalignment-related aches
and pains
 Prevents falls
 Enhances overall sense of well-being
 Evaluating Body Posture
 Viewing faulty posture in a photograph can motivate
change
 As posture improves from recommended exercise, you
may become motivated to improve muscular strength,
flexibility, and decrease body fat
 Posture tests are used to detect deviations from
normal body alignment and prescribe corrective
exercises (Lab 8B)
 Analyses are best conducted early in life because

some postural deviations are difficult to correct in

older people
 Principles of Muscular Flexibility
Prescription
 Range of joint mobility can be increased and
maintained through a regular comprehensive
stretching program
 Overload and specificity of training principles
also apply to muscular flexibility
 FITT also can be used to design stretching
programs
 Principles of Muscular Flexibility
Prescription – Modes of Training
 Static stretching
 Lengthen the muscle tissue gradually
through a joint's complete range of
motion and hold the final position for
a few seconds.
 Causes little pain and has a low risk
for injury.
 The most frequently used and
recommended.
 Passive stretching
 Muscles are relaxed.
 External force is applied to increase
joint range of motion.
 Associated with some decrease of
strength and power.
 Principles of Muscular Flexibility
Prescription – Modes of Training
 Dynamic stretching
 Uses movement speed,
momentum, and muscular
effort to increase joint
range of motion.
 Not associated with loss of
strength and power.
 Preferably completed prior
to competition Walking lunges are an example
of Dynamic Stretching
 Principles of Muscular Flexibility
Prescription – Modes of Training
 Ballistic stretching
 Jerky, rapid, and bouncy movements that force
the muscle to lengthen.
 Effective, but at the cost of muscle damage
when performed too fast.
 If excessive, plastic elongation and the
accompanying loss of joint stability may result.
 Slow, gentle, and controlled-ballistic stretching
is effective and safer than standard ballistic
stretching.
 Principles of Muscular Flexibility
Prescription – Modes of Training
 Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
 Stretching technique that uses reflexes and

neuromuscular principles to relax the muscles being

stretched
 Based on a “contract-and-relax” method

 Benefits of PNF

 More effective than slow-sustained stretching.

 An increase in strength of the muscle(s) being
stretched.
 Disadvantages of PNF
 More pain.
 Need for a second person to assist.
 Need for more time to conduct each session.
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching
technique: (a) isometric phase (b) stretching phase
 Principles of Muscular Flexibility
Prescription – Intensity
 Intensity
 The degree of stretch should be to only a
point of mild discomfort or tightness at the
end of the range of motion.
 The muscle should be relaxed as much as
possible along with relatively slow stretching
movements.
 Principles of Muscular Flexibility
Prescription – Reps
 Repetitions
 Holding the final position of each rep for 15 to
60 seconds.
 Each exercise should be done 4 or more
times.
 As flexibility increases, a person can gradually
increase the time each repetition is held to a
maximum of 60 seconds.
 Total stretching duration should be a
minimum of about 10 minutes.
 Principles of Muscular Flexibility
Prescription – Frequency
 Minimum of 2 to 3
days per week
 Ideally 5 to 7
days per week
 After 6–8 weeks
of training,
flexibility can be
maintained with
only 2–3 sessions
each week.
 When to Stretch?
 Warm up vs. stretching
 Warm-up: The goal is to get the muscle warm, so it

resists less
 Light aerobics first

 3- to 5-minute warm-up for steady activities

 Up to 10 minutes for stop-and-go activities and athletic
participation in general
 Stretching: movement of joints through their full
range of motion and holding the final degree of
stretch according to recommended guidelines.
 In general, after an aerobic workout is the best time
to stretch
 Incorrect and Correct Pelvic
Alignment
 Deterioration or weakening of
the abdominal and gluteal
muscles along with tightening
of the lower back muscles due
to excessive sitting; brings
about an unnatural forward tilt
of the pelvis
 This tilt puts extra pressure on
the spinal vertebrae, causing
pain in the lower back.
 Accumulation of fat around the
midsection of the body
contributes to the forward tilt
of the pelvis.
 Behavior Modification Planning: Tips to
Prevent Low-Back Pain
 Be physically active  Maintain correct posture
 Stretch often  Sleep in a proper position
 Regularly strengthen your  Select a mattress
core carefully
 Lift objects properly  Warm up before exercise
 Avoid sitting/standing in  Practice stress
one position too long management

Journal Question #2
List how many of these actions you do regularly. What
would be necessary for you to incorporate them all in
your lifestyle?
 Preventing & Rehabilitating Low-
Back Pain
 If the pain is severe and persists even at rest, see a
physician:
 Rule out any disc problems
 May prescribe proper bed rest, using several pillows under
the knees for leg support (Figure 8.7).
 May prescribe a muscle relaxant or anti-inflammatory
medication (or both) and some type of physical therapy.
 Take over-the-counter pain medication.
 Stay active to avoid further weakening of the back
muscles.
 Low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, water
aerobics, and cycling are recommended.
 Effects of Stress
 Excessive stress causes muscles to contract
 Frequent tightening of the muscles can throw the back out
of alignment and constrict blood vessels that supply oxygen
and nutrients to the back
 Chronic stress releases hormones linked to muscle and
tendon injuries
 People under stress forget about proper body mechanics,
increasing risk for injury
 Proper stress management should be in your back care
program
Real Life Stories
 Real Life Stories Critical
Thinking Questions
 1. Can you list some of the possible factors that led to Maria’s back pain?
What steps did she take to correct the situation?

 2. Do you experience back pain? If so, what made it worse and what has
helped alleviate the pain?

 3. What are your feelings about yoga? Have you ever tried a yoga
session? If so, how was the experience? How did you feel afterward?