Download Maintaining Maintaining Flexibility and Back Health

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6
Maintaining
Flexibility
and
Back Health
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Objectives
• Describe the benefits of stretching and flexibility.
• Discuss the factors that determine a person’s flexibility.
• Identify safe and effective stretching exercises.
• Describe ways to lower your risk of stretching-related
injuries.
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Objectives, continued
• Create a personalized program for improving your
flexibility.
• Explain the primary causes of lower back pain.
• Describe ways to reduce your risk of lower back pain.
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Flexibility and Back Health Key Concepts
• Flexibility
The ability of joints to move through a full
range of motion.
• Stretching
Should be included in a complete fitness
program, along with range-of-motion
movements.
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Benefits of Stretching and Flexibility
• Improved mobility, posture, and balance.
• Healthy joints and pain management.
• Muscle relaxation and stress relief.
• Possible reduction of lower back pain.
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What Determines Flexibility?
Flexibility can be classified as static or dynamic.
• Static (or Passive) Flexibility
Measures the limits of a joint’s overall range of
motion.
• Dynamic (or Active) Flexibility
Measures overall joint stiffness during
movement.
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Joint Structures, Muscles, and Tendons
• Joint: The point of contact between two or more bones.
• Joint stability is supported by surrounding muscles and
tendons.
• Joint range of motion is limited by:
• Joint structures (cartilage, ligaments,
membranes, and fluids)
• Muscles and tendons (muscles and connective
tissues)
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The Nervous System
• Also limits range of motion in joints.
• Stimulates muscle contractions.
• Has receptors on muscles and tendons that interpret
muscular information.
• Receptors include golgi muscle tendons and muscle
spindles (stretch receptors).
• When muscles get the message to contract, it triggers
the stretch reflex.
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Joint Anatomy
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What Determines Flexibility?
Individual Factors
• Genetics: Accounts for differences in body structure and
tissue elasticity.
• Age: Physical changes related to aging at some point
start to affect the body’s ability to move.
• Body Type: Typically affects flexibility only at the
extremes (e.g., excessive amounts of muscle or fat).
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What Determines Flexibility?
Individual Factors, continued
• Activity Level: Inactivity can result in low flexibility levels.
• Health Status: Certain medical conditions may
affect joint health and range of motion (for better or
worse).
• Collagen: When this primary protein of connective
tissues is compromised by poor health or medical
conditions, loss of motion can result.
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Assessing Flexibility
Sit-and-Reach Test
• A common measure of flexibility.
• Measures lower back, hip, and hamstring muscle
flexibility.
Harding Norms:
Percentile 5 25 50 75 95
Women 11 14 16 17 20
Men 9 13 15 17 20
Range-of-Motion Tests
• Evaluate your joint range of motion as compared against
that of others.
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Planning a Stretching Program
Set Appropriate Flexibility Goals
• Consider what you want to achieve:
Maintenance? Improvement? More comfort?
• Use SMART goals:
Specific
Measurable
Action-oriented
Realistic
Time-oriented
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Planning a Stretching Program
Apply the FITT Program Principles
• Frequency: How often you stretch.
• Intensity: How far you stretch.
• Time: How long you hold or repeat a stretch.
• Type: What kinds of stretches you use.
• Static Stretching
• Dynamic Stretching
• Ballistic Stretching
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Types of Stretches
• Static Stretching
Involves moving slowly into a stretch and holding it.
Simplest and safest method; allows muscles to recover.
• Dynamic Stretching
Involves stretching through movement.
Mimics the motions of activities, but more slowly.
• Ballistic Stretching
Involves bouncing, jerky movements, and high momentum.
Beneficial only to athletes in specific, ballistic sports.
• Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)
Contracts targeted muscle groups to encourage relaxation.
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ACSM’s Training Guidelines for Flexibility
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Pros and Cons of Common Stretching Methods
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Consider Taking a Class
Options for exploring new ways to incorporate stretching:
• Yoga: Combines mental focus and physical effort.
• Tai chi: Uses slow, smooth movements.
• Pilates: Uses exercises and equipment to stretch and
strengthen muscles.
Choreography
• Dance: Improves flexibility and overall fitness.
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Avoiding Stretching-Related Injuries
• Stretch only warmed-up muscles.
• Perform stretches safely.
• Know which exercises can cause injury.
• Be especially cautious if you are hyperflexible or
inflexible.
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Contraindicated Stretches and Safe
Alternatives
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Preventing and Managing Back Pain
Understand the Main Causes of Back Pain
• Muscular weakness, inflexibility, and imbalance
• Improper posture and body mechanics
• Acute trauma
• Risky occupations
• Medical issues
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Preventing and Managing Back Pain
Understand How the Back Is Supported
Spine Structure:
• Designed to absorb force.
• Has four distinct regions and curvatures.
Core Trunk Muscles:
• Support the spinal column and curvatures.
• Include the back, abdominal, hip, gluteal, pelvis,
pelvic floor, and lateral trunk muscles.
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Basic Structure of the Spine
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Spine-Supporting Core Muscles
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Preventing and Managing Back Pain
Reduce Your Risk of Lower Back Pain
• Lose weight.
• Strengthen and stretch key muscles.
• Maintain good posture and body mechanics.
• Properly treat lower back pain.
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Proper Posture for Back Health
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Proper Posture for Back Health
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Proper Posture for Back Health
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