Flexibility

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Flexibility

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FLEXIBILITY

Some General Facts About Flexibility

There is no ideal standard for Flexibility*

It is not known how much flexibility any one person should have in a joint. There are test norms available that list how hundreds of subjects of various ages, of both sexes, and in many walks of life have performed. But there is little scientific evidence to indicate that a person who can reach two inches past his or her toes on a sit-and-reach test is less fit than a person who can reach eight inches past the toes. Too much flexibility could be as detrimental as too little.

Lack of use, injury, or disease can decrease joint mobility.*

Arthritis and calcium deposits can damage a joint, and inflammation can cause pain that prevents movement. Failure to move a joint regularly through its full range of motion can lead to a shortening of muscles and ligaments. Static positions held for longer periods, such as in poor posture, working postures, and when a body part is immobilized by a cast, lead to shortened tissue and a loss of mobility. Improper exercise that overdevelops one muscle group while neglecting the opposing group results in an imbalance that restricts flexibility.

Some people are unusually flexible because of a genetic trait that makes their joints "hypermobile."*

In some families, that trait for loose joints is passed from generation to generation. This "hypermobility" is sometimes referred to as joint looseness. Studies show that those with this trait may be more prone to dislocated patella's. There is not much research evidence, but some experts believe that people with "hypermobility" or laxity may also be more susceptible to athletic or dance injuries, especially to the knee and ankle, and may be more apt to develop premature osteoarthritis. One recent study found that subjects who were "loose jointed: used more energy in walking and jogging than those who were medium or "tight jointed."

In the fifth century, Hippocrates noted the disadvantage of hyperextension of the elbow in archery. The hyperextended position for elbows and knees is not an efficient position from which to move because of a poor angle of muscle pull. For example, it is difficult to perform push-ups when the elbows lock into hyperextension because extra effort is required to unlock the joint. It may be advantageous for loose-jointed people to take extra care to strengthen muscles around the joints most used.

To maintain the range of motion (ROM) you presently have in your joints, you must regularly perform "range of motion exercises."*

The adage: "If you don't use it, you'll lose it!" applies particularly to flexibility. Failure to use the joints regularly through their normal range results in loss of flexibility in a fairly short period. To maintain what you have, you should do ROM exercises. Some athletes prefer to do this during the warm-up prior to a workout and save their stretching exercises until the end of the workout.

To increase the length of a muscle, you must stretch it (overload) more than its normal length.

There is much n that is not known about flexibility, but the best evidence suggest that muscles should be stretched to about 10 percent beyond their normal length to bring about an improvement in flexibility. Exercises that do not cause an overload by stretching beyond normal will not increase flexibility.

Flexibility is specific to each joint of the Body.

No one flexibility test will give an indication of your overall flexibility. For example, tight hamstrings and lumbar muscles might be revealed by toe-touch test, but the range of motion in other joints may be quite different. The toe-touch test, done with both legs extended, does not distinguish between flexibility of the hamstrings and the lower back muscles, so it lacks specificity in its measurement.

The Alexander Technique

Alexander Walk Lightly place your hands on your hips. Push them back until your shoulders are in line with your hips. Keep lengthening. (You may feel like you're tipping forward.) Then, as you take a step, think about moving your nose and knees forward, not your hips. Don't tense your neck muscles. "Walking is like riding a unicycle," and "Your torso is stable, with just your legs swinging. Think of it as a walking meditation."

Lying Down Lie down on a mat with a one- to three-inch-thick pillow under your head, your chin and forehead parallel to the floor and your feet flat on the mat. Spread your arms, palms up, out to the sides. Bend them at the elbow so they rest on your abdomen. Drop your lower back toward the floor (no need to make contact). As you relax, going through the checklist, think lengthen and widen. "Imagine the back of your head is on wheels," and "Let it roll away from your shoulders." Practice for 15 minutes.

Sitting: Step One On the edge of a chair, slowly rock from one cheek to the other, feet flat on the floor. You'll feel your sit bones — rock until they aim straight down. (Usually, they point back, meaning an arched back, or forward, meaning a slouched one.) Don't let your chin creep up. Keep your eyes open. Move so that you lean into the back of the chair and your spine is perpendicular to the floor as you're lengthening and widening your torso (you can use a pillow for upper-back support