Stretching

Stretching exercises is a form of exercise in the context of athletic training, be placed in the muscles under tension in order to achieve improved mobility and flexibility, including the associated technical sport as well as conditioning optimization. In addition, it is assumed a reduction in the risk of injury, a positive impact on the recovery of the muscles shortened by fatigue and a positive psychological influence. In the field of physical therapy stretching exercises is also used to decrease muscle imbalances and correct pathological problems caused by muscle shortening, and to speed recovery from injuries. Stretching exercises is popular in particular in the static version, which is known as stretching. This popularity is reflected, among other things, also evident in a wide range of appropriate self-help literature.

Development

Until the 1980s, the stretching exercises was poorly understood and traditionally tried by means of springs and rockers ( dynamic stretching ) to increase the range of movements. In the 1980s, this practice was first increased attention and was rejected as supposedly harmful since - could the jerky movements cause reflex contractions - so the presumption. Instead, it was recommended static stretching, is continuing to be the in the final stretch position. In the period following the static stretching became widespread, especially among the acquired from the Anglo - American sphere designation stretching. Based on the fundamental principles of static stretching several other methods have been developed which, put in front of or parallel to the stretching stimulus, a contraction of the muscle, or his opponent ( antagonist) to achieve a reflex relaxation of the muscle to be stretched. From the 1990s after and recognized as false by the supposed basic advantages of the static over the dynamic stretching and a differentiated approach have been developed.

Anatomy and Physiology

Muscles consist of two types of structures: those that shorten when activated under energy consumption (actin and myosin ), and those that passive- elastic non-physiological increase in length avoid ( Connectinfilamente in the muscle fibers and selbige as the entire muscle, net-like enveloping connective tissue).

Contrary to earlier assumptions muscles are lengthened by stretching only in exceptional cases: you pull out under normal conditions, always in their original shape. The main reason for this is a huge, only a few years ago recognized molecule called titin, the Connectinfilament as actin and myosin filaments elastically with each other and with the Z- discs, which are based on the actin filaments, connects, thus ensuring the preservation of shape muscles. The connective tissue structures inside and outside the muscles are loaded significantly only at very high elongation, thereby slightly stretched her wavy fibers. This so-called creep effect lasts for a few minutes to more than an hour and can therefore be used only to directly subsequent exercises.

Muscles also have stretch receptors (muscle spindles), the report on an interconnection in the spinal cord to the brain to their degree of expansion, where the offset in the movement planning and optionally the command is issued to the counter voltage. By stretching the muscles, the threshold of this system can be reduced, allowing greater muscle strain in the course of subsequent movements.

Due to their elastic restoring forces have dormant muscles always a basic tension ( resting tone ) on, which was supposed, they could be reduced by stretching exercises. If anything it increases, however, more likely still, generated during regular stretching by train to the Z- discs an increase in passive stabilizing titin - as well as strength exercises in which forces act in the same way to the Z- discs. This effect is quite desirable because the resulting increase in the so-called stiffness (English for, stiffness ' or ' strength ') of the muscle improves the storage and recovery of energy in the physiological strain and shortening cycle. This, however, what is commonly referred to as permanent muscle shortening is not a structural length reduction, but a sign muscular imbalances caused by wrong stress: resting length and change in length of a muscle asset arising from his everyday stress. An apparent reduction may therefore be corrected to weak antagonists only through a balanced, upright posture and the physiological scope regularly largely exploitative movements, and, optionally, a targeted activation and toning.

Definitions and methods of training

Agility is a motor skill, which is characterized by the amplitude, by means of internal forces can be achieved in the respective end position of the joints (active). The external forces ( passive) achievable range of motion is referred to as articulation contrast. Stretching exercises cause a train to the tissue, especially in the longitudinal direction, so mobility and flexibility can be improved. Stretching can actively be produced by tension of antagonists, or passively by gravity, momentum, external resistors (partners, technical aids ) or not directly antagonistic muscles are used. When stretching is divided into dynamic (moving ) and static ( non-moving ) methods, where the conceived as static stretching exercises variants may also be performed dynamically.

Dynamic stretching

Soft, roaring help in the stretch position springy movements, movement restrictions, such as tension, resolve to activate all moving muscles, including their pathways and to train the inter-muscular coordination. The actual stretching component is limited by the strength of the muscles. These stretching exercises support after the first warm-up phase, the athletic performance preparations - especially if they are well controlled in several sections, each 10-20 seconds, something powerful ( pumping ) are carried out without putting strong distension.

Static stretching ( stretching )

After that was brought to be stretched muscle group actively or passively in a stretched position, it is held around 10-20 seconds each repeated in this position. Especially with the active variants are additionally tested by the muscle contraction activates inhibitory neurons and so the tension of the stretched muscle decreased willingness for a while. Throughout the exercise, the blood supply to all tissues involved is significantly limited and often is also an excessive tension of the whole body. The static stretching, therefore, is more suitable for isolated workouts as performance preparation.

There can be three fundamentally different methods of static stretching distinguished: passive static stretching, active static stretching and the Tension-relaxation stretching.

The passive static stretching, in which only one brought about by external forces stretch position is held, is a particularly well-controlled, applied in many areas, but overall little effective method that is used in the form of relaxation exercises.

In the active static stretching the opponent of the target muscle is maximally strained during the elongation phase. This solves probably a reciprocal forward inhibition from the target muscle - a principle that describes how the opponent of a tensed muscle is automatically inhibited so as not to impede the shortening by an involuntary contraction triggered by the stretch receptors. This method can not be anatomical reasons equally used in all muscles effectively.

When Tension-relaxation stretching ( Synonyms:. PIR Stretching, post- isometric relaxation and CHRS - stretching, of Engl Contract- Hold -Relax - Stretch) will be the target muscle before beginning the actual Dehnprozedur at rest isometric ( to shorten without) maximum tense. After the tension was resolved following static stretching. For example, the stretching person puts her lower leg at knee angled on the shoulder of a partner and tries to push through maximum tension in the hamstrings down. Subsequently, the leg is stretched and pulled towards the body.

A combination of Tension-relaxation and active static stretching has been shown in recent studies as an effective method for improving range of motion and is therefore recommended.

Use in athletic training

In addition to isolated workouts for merely improving mobility or on the rare genuine muscular contractions is submaximal static stretching also to the gentle stretching afterwards at the end of a training session, after slow, lockerndem running advised to relax, bring down the increased muscle tone and sport-specific posture and flexed posture adaptations to avoid. Some muscles have an increased tendency for functional shortening and therefore require after any sporting activity elongation; namely, the rear and side neck muscles, the anterior chest muscles, as well as the front, the rear and located inside thigh muscles.

In the warm-up phase for performance intensive preparation static stretching is only conducive there, where maximum freedom of movement is needed in the connection because they reduce power and Spannbarkeit the muscles, whereby the efficiency is reduced. Short sequences of sub-maximal, preferably dynamic stretching in preparation for the performance sports where there is fast forceful movements or large joint deflections, can help to reduce the risk of injury.

Risk of injury

Stretching exercises to be performed with caution. If stretched well over a slight to moderate pain out or already further claimed previously damaged tissue ruptures to muscles, tendons or ligaments, and cartilage damage can be provoked. This can happen unnoticed as can be virtually reduced by intense stretching of the muscle elongation own protective reflex and pain sensation in the tissue. A very common mistake, for example, intensive stretching exercises despite the presence of muscle soreness. Here, the protection voltage to ensure the necessary rest in order to repair the damaged muscle fibers by small cracks tissue misinterpreted as annoying tension and provoked by train to the tissue further damage. Overall, however, the risk of injury when stretching is very low and because a generally good mobility, how it can be achieved through regular training, also increases the safety movement, stretching exercises can even reduce the likelihood of injury to the muscles by poorly coordinated movements.