THERAPEUTICSTRETCHING

WELCOME TO

What’s in store for workshop… Define key terms. Discuss What is Stretching? Define and discuss stretching within

our scope. Discuss some of the many stretching

disciplines. Discuss Goals, benefits,

contraindications of Stretching. BODYWORK, BODYWORK, AND

BODYWORK

Muscles that are repeatedly tightened will lose their elasticity

and stiffen over time thus creating a chain reaction leading to muscular dysfunction, joint

imbalance, and decrease in ROM.

Tightened muscles Ischemia Metabolic waste buildup Loss of elasticity and pliability Restricted ROM and so forth and so forth

DYSFUNCTIONAL MUSCLES…

IF MUSCLES ARE NOT IN SYNCH AND ALIGNED PROPERLY YOU WILL GET…

TORQUES, SHEERSTILTS, FLAIRS, AND…

ROTATIONS

ONE REASON STRETCHING IS IMPORTANT…

As we age…our lymph, fascia, and connective tissue thickens.

Our body exchanges flexibility for stability.

DYSFUNCTIONS OF SOFT TISSUE

SCAR TISSUE INFLAMMATION

Trigger Points. Tender Points. AdhesionTaut Bands. Ischemia. Spasms

STRETCHING…

Stretching is defined as the application of force to musculotendinous structures

in order to achieve a change in its length.

EVERYTHING DONE TO THE BODY’S SOFT TISSUE, INCLUDING

PALPATION, STRETCHES IT.

Purpose of Stretching…

Increase the resting length of a muscle.

Assess condition of joint and/or tissue.

Develop Flexibility. Eliminate Waste. Align Scar Tissue.

It is the secret to muscular tone, regeneration, recovery, and performance.

One purpose of stretching is the gaining and maintaining of ROM.

BENEFITS OF STRETCHING…

ELONGATION OF SOFT TISSUE(S)STIMULATION OF CIRCULATION AND LYMPH FLOWAIDS IN MUSCULAR BALANCE AROUND A JOINTAIDS IN ALLOWING BODY TO REPAIR ITSELFRESETS MUSCLE SPINDLESREALIGNS SCAR TISSUERELEASES RESTRICTED FASCIA

FLEXIBILITY…

… the ability to move muscles and joints through their full ROM.

Flexibility is developed when connective tissue and muscles are elongated.

Increase in flexibility=decrease in injury. The majority of physical pain conditions are

caused by muscular inflexibility. Whether a knot or a strain in the muscle,

the goal is to restore the flexibility that was lost.

Over stretching impedes flexibility because it damages tissue.

A FLEXIBLE BODY IS…

PROPERLY ALIGNED

FULLY MOBILE

FUNCTIONAL

*TO ACHIEVE OPTIMAL FLEXIBILITY MUSCLES MUST BE DREDGED OF ALL

METABOLIC WASTE AND FRESH BLOOD MUST ENTER. ONLY THEN

WILL THE MUSCLES FIBERS ELONGATE.

STRETCHING TECHNIQUESSTATIC

PASSIVE

MFR

MET

ART

DYNAMIC

PNF

STR

AIS

EGOSCUE

MF UNWINDING

FOAM ROLLING

STRETCHING TECHNIQUES…

THERE ARE MANY BUT THEY ALL SHARE THE SAME IDEA OR CONCEPT AND THAT IS THE

ELONGATION OF THE MUCSLES AND CONNECTIVE TISSUE.

Category of Stretching…PASSIVE

ACTIVE

ASSISTED

Movement…

BALLISTIC

DYNAMIC

STATIC

PASSIVE STRETCHING… PERFORMED MAINLY

DURING A MASSAGE SESSION…

ACTIVATES GTO- (Muscle Relaxation)

RELEASES PRESSURE AROUND JOINT

RESTORES ELASTICITY OF SOFT TISSUE

STIMULATION OF CIRCULATION (30%)

Due to the greater force applied to the muscle this form of stretching is more hazardous with greater risk of injury.

ACTIVE STRETCHING

MEANS THE PERSON WHO IS STRETCHING IS DOING THE WORK.

STATIC STRETCHING STRETCHES PERFORMED

W/O MOVEMENT PERFORMED BY THE

PERSON STRETCHES HELD 10-20

SECS CAN BE HELD FOR 30-60 MUSCLE IS SLOWLY

TAKEN TO FULL LENGTH THEN HELD.

HOLDING STRETCHES WHILE YOUR BODY IS AT REST.

DYNAMIC STRETCHING INCORPORATES LARGE

RANGE OF MOVEMENT. PREPARES YOUR

MUSCLES FOR EXERCISES OR SPORTS.

DOES LITTLE TO INCREASE FLEXIBILITY.

INCREASES HEART RATE AND KEEPS MUSCLES

AND JOINTS WARM AND MOBILE.

STRETCHING WHILE YOUR BODY IS IN MOTION.

BALLISTIC STRETCHING HIGHER RISK OF

INJURY PERFORMED

USING RAPID BOUNCING MOVEMENTS FORCE.

WARMS MUSCLES. FAST ELONGATION

OF MUSCLE FIBERS.

STRETCHING PROPER ORDERTIGHTNESS STARTS IN THE JOINT CAPSULE (50%), THE FIRST BARRIER OF TIGHTNESS, RESTRICTING FLEXIBILITY

STRETCHING IN LAYERS:

1. JOINT CAPSULE2. DEEPER LAYERS OF MUSCLES (POSTURAL)

before stretching the…3. SUPERFICIAL LAYERS

STRETCHING AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

THE KEY GOAL OF STRETCHING IS TO ACTIVATE THE GTO WITHOUT FIRING OFF THE SPINDLE

CELLS!!

MYOTATIC STRETCH REFLEX

PART OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, THIS STRETCH REFLEX PREVENTS A MUSCLE FROM STRETCHING TOO FAR TOO FAST AND PROTECTS THE JOINT FROM INJURY.

PROPRIOCEPTORS: GOLGI TENDON ORGANS, SPINDLE CELLS. MECHANORECEPTORS: PANCINI CORPUSCLES, RUFFINI CORPUSCLES, MERKEL’S DISCS, AND MEISSNER’S CORPUSCLES

WHEN NOT TO STRETCH… AFTER A FRACTURE

DURING HIGH FEVER WHEN JOINT IS INFLAMED

WHEN OPEN SORES OR STITCHES ON THE SKIN COVER THE MUSCLE.

PRINCIPLES OF STRETCHING…

AVOID PAINSTRETCH SLOWLY

STRETCH CORRECT MUSCLEWORK WITHIN COMFORT LEVEL