General Muscle Stretching

 

What is stretching? Why is it good to stretch? Should I stretch before and after a workout? Everyone has heard about stretching and how it is good for the body, yet many find it confusing or hard to add to their daily routine. Stretching is the process of lengthening the muscles to increase their ability to function optimally. Lengthening muscles helps to reduce resistance and tightness that may create tension across joints that cause pain or discomfort and decreases the potential for injury during activity. The effectiveness of stretching before exercise is still up for debate. Some suggest that there are no physical benefits of warmup stretches, and there are mixed opinions regarding whether or not pre-exercise stretches can prevent injury, however, most people agree you should always complete some form of warm up before exercising. During a warmup, people can increase their heart rate by walking or biking. Elevating the heart rate gets the blood pumping through the body, which supplies the muscles with oxygen. This improves exercise performance and reduces a person’s risk of injury. If the muscles are not properly warmed up, stretching may strain or even tear the muscle fibers. People should stretch after the warmup. Stretching after exercise helps relieve muscle tension. This may help the muscles recover faster and reduce pain after a workout. So, when your doctor or therapist recommends a daily stretching routine, heed their advice. Just a small bit of effort focused on stretching every day can greatly improve your daily quality of life and over the years to come.

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Types of Stretching

 

There are a several types of stretches but we will focus on the two most basic. The first and most common stretch we hear about is static stretching, which is typically completed after a warm up or exercising to help increase joint range of motion (ROM) to aid in activities of daily living. The second type of stretching is dynamic stretching intended for before moderate-intensity exercise. Each type provides its own specific and unique benefits.

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Static Stretching

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Static stretching are those stretches in which you stand, sit or lie still and hold a single position for a period of time without movement. In other words, an individual gets into the stretch position then slowly and cautiously the body is moved to increase tension on muscles or group of muscles. At this point the position is held or maintained to allow muscles to lengthen. The optimal hold time is between 20-30 seconds for the muscles to relax and begin to lengthen. It is critically important to perform at least two sets of stretches for each muscle or muscle groups you are stretching. In other words, place yourself in a stretching position and hold it for 20-30 seconds, this constitutes one set. Relax your body for 30 seconds, then perform the exact same movement again for another 20-30 seconds, the second set. Static stretching is a very safe and effective form of stretching with low risk of injury and is a good choice for beginners and sedentary individuals. Static stretching can be done while watching the television or listening to music. For the purpose of increasing the length of the muscles, these are the stretches that are commonly recommended by physical therapists and exercise professionals.

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Dynamic Stretching

 

The second form of stretching is called dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching involves stretches with slow movement progressively increasing the range of motion (ROM) through repeated movements. ROM refers to how far you can move or stretch a part of your body, such as a muscle, ligament or tendon and it's different for each of us. For example, some people can do complete splits, but others can't because their muscles won't lengthen as far. These dynamic stretches take ‘cold’ muscles and gently increase muscle ROM. Dynamic stretching also provides the added benefit of slowly warming up the muscles so they are ready for more intense exercises. This warming-up effect aids in preventing muscle strains that can occur when someone begins exercising without a warmup. Examples of dynamic stretches are gentle trunk twists, leg swings against a wall, thigh swings in all directions, high stepping, shoulder/arm circles starting small and slowly increasing the size of the circles. Frequently, these types of stretches are often ignored and can lead to increased in pain and discomfort resulting in less daily activity. Therefore, stretching is one of the easiest and most beneficial actions one can do daily to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The nice thing about dynamic stretching is that it can be added to the start of an exercise routine and counts towards the amount of exercise we do.

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Stretching Activities for the Skeletal System

 

The human skeleton system is broken down into two divisions, the axial and appendicular skeletons. The axial skeleton is made up of all of the bones along the body’s long axis. They are the skull, the chest (rib cage) and the vertebral column (back bone). The appendicular skeleton is made up of bones of the upper (arms) and lower (legs) extremities and the boney girdles, the pectoral and pelvic girdles. These girdle regions hold the extremities to the axial skeleton. The pelvic girdle (hip girdle) is formed by a single hipbone and its primary role is to support the weight of the upper body when sitting and to transfer this weight to the lower limbs when standing. It serves as an attachment point for trunk and lower limb muscles and also protects the internal pelvic organs. The hipbone also acts as an attachment for many muscles and ligaments within the pelvis and lower limbs. They are united together to form a largely immobile, weight-bearing structure. This is important for stability because it enables the weight of the body to be easily transferred laterally from the vertebral column (backbone), through the pelvic girdle and hip joints, and into the weight bearing lower limbs (legs). Thus, the immobility of the hip girdle provides a strong foundation for the upper body as it rests on top of the lower limbs. In order for us to better understand the two divisions of the human skeletal system and how they connect, stand up and lean forward with your upper body. You can feel and see that the hip girdle provides a major linkage, or hinge point, between the upper and lower body. Imagine that the hip girdle contains ropes and pulleys that are attached to bones, if one or more of these ropes becomes too tight or is weak, chances are it will throw your hip girdle out of alignment and if severe enough, likely will cause pain. I would argued that the hip girdle is the most important intersection in the body. Several muscle groups directly impact the hip girdle, two of these are the quadricep and hamstring muscle groups.

 

Quadricep Muscles

 

The quadriceps muscles, more commonly referred to as “the quads”, are actually a group of four muscles in your front thigh and run from the front of the pelvis, over the kneecap, and to the front of the shin. These muscles help straighten your knees and allow you to walk, run and kick a ball. You may be wondering why you feel back pain if you have tight quads. Chances are, a couple of things are going on. Several things can happen when the quads get really tight, they pull on the hip bone and the entire pelvis is pulled downward or forward creating a corresponding lift up in the back. This puts the hamstring “in a stretched position”. Both scenarios can affect your pelvic alignment. The way the bones fit in relation to one another and to the whole body form is referred to as alignment. If your alignment is off, your posture may suffer and this situation may cause tightening and pain in the back muscles and create a chronic posture problem for you. Tight quads overpower hamstrings because they are a much larger muscle group than the hamstrings, so it’s normal for them to be a little stronger. Hamstrings are the quad’s opposing muscles located at the back of your thigh and daily stretching for each of these muscle groups is recommended for maximal benefit and effect.

 

Hamstring Muscles

 

The hamstring muscles are the group of muscles in the back side of the thigh and travel from the pelvis to the back of each knee. The hamstrings attach to the bony part of the pelvis that you sit upon and they bend the knee and extend the hip. Because of this attachment point, when they are tight, they can create tension on the low back, and can place a strain on the pelvis. Hamstrings tend to be tight in most people that sit for prolonged periods. Additionally, if not properly strengthened, the hamstrings may become weakened and can cause back pain. Diligence in stretching the hamstrings is a helpful for many musculoskeletal issues. Performing a hamstring stretch routine daily can help improve the way your hamstrings move. Hamstring stretches are beneficial for athletes as well as for people who are not athletes or do not play sports. By keeping the hamstrings flexible and strong, you may be able to reduce the risk of injury and prevent future problems with your hamstrings. Stretching each day can improve blood flow and keep the muscles energized and loose. A good time to perform hamstring stretches is before and after exercising which can help alleviate low back and hip discomfort, movement impairment, and pain.

 

THE BIG 3 ABC STRETCHES FOR THE HIP GIRDLE

 

As mentioned earlier, I believe the hip girdle is the most important intersection of movement in the body and the importance of performing a daily stretching routine specifically targeting this area cannot be overstated. If you experience any pain or discomfort while performing these activities stop, start the process again but reduce the amount of distance in the movement of this stretch. At this point it’s important to mention that you should not bounce while stretching because it is not safe and should be avoided. Bouncing while you stretch is known as ballistic stretching and often times results in your muscles stretching too far and too fast resulting in a pulled muscle. Moving slowly into a stretch is very important in helping the muscle to relax and lengthen during a stretch. There are numerous stretches you could complete for the hip girdle but I believe a select few provide a huge benefit when performed properly, I like to refer to them as the Big 3 ABC stretches.

 

A-Standing hamstring WALL stretch

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The standing hamstring stretch can be completed almost anytime or anywhere, making it a handy way to boost flexibility in this important muscle.

 

1. Face a wall and stand upright one arms length from a wall with the spine (backbone) in a neutral position.

 

2. Keep both feet flat and shoulder width apart on the floor.

 

3. Lean forward and place both hands flat on the wall. Simultaneously, take one step back with your right foot.

 

4. While keeping your right knee straight, bend your left knee and GENTLY lean forward toward the wall with your upper body and hips. You should begin to feel your hamstring muscle engage and feel a stretch the area behind your right knee, stop at that point and hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds, then return to the starting position and rest for 30 seconds.

 

5. Repeat the process in steps 1- 4 using the opposite leg. This completes one rep (repetition).

 

6. From the starting position, perform the entire process again using steps 1-5. This completes the second rep.

 

7. The third rep is the most important and I believe provides the most benefit during this stretching movement. Once again perform the entire process again using steps 1-5 but this time GENTLY move your HIP of the forward leg even closer to the wall. It’s OK if the heel on your trailing foot lifts off the floor slightly during this movement. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds, you should feel a slight stretching of the muscle directly in front of your hip bone, then return to the starting position and rest for 30 seconds. More information will be provided about the muscles of the hip and surrounding muscles in another section but this is the perfect time and positioning to slightly stretch muscles in the hip girdle.

 

B-Standing hamstring TABLE stretch

 

The hamstring table stretch can also be performed using the seat of a chair, the mattress on a bed or any other piece of furniture that allows you to maintain the lift of your leg less than hip height.

 

1. Find a table or other object that is just less than hip height.

 

2. Stand upright with the spine in a neutral position.

 

3. Place the right leg on the table with the toes pointing toward the ceiling. Stand far enough away from the table so that only the foot and part of the calf rests on the table. Use a chair or another object to assist you in maintaining your balance.

 

4. Slowly bend forward at the waist until there is a gentle stretch/tension in the hamstring muscle in the back of the leg. As soon as you begin to feel the muscle engage/stretch, stop at that point and hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds, then return to the starting position and rest for 30 seconds.

 

5. Repeat the process in steps 1-4 using the opposite leg. This completes one rep (repetition).

 

6. From the starting position, perform the entire process again using steps 1-5. This completes the second rep.

 

C-Standing quadricep CHAIR stretch

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Before we describe the specifics of this movement, a few comments about stretching the quads as I feel it is the most important stretch you can incorporate into any stretching session. The quad stretch is without a doubt the movement that provides me with the most positive results for my lower back and my entire hip girdle. There are numerous ways you can stretch your quads, many of which have you getting down on the floor. Not only can it be difficult for some of us to get down and back up off the floor, it’s almost as if you have to be a contortionist to get into many of these positions. Most importantly, I do not recommend doing a quad stretch on the floor because it brings with it the opportunity to place awkward and unequal stress and pressure on your back, knees and spine. I prefer to remain in a standing position as it allows me to maintain positive control during the movement. You’ve probably seen individuals standing upright and reaching around and grab their foot with their hand and pulling it up towards their backside. I advise against this as it complicates the stretch and usually causes the spine to rotate and extend and can be incredibly stressful on the knees. In my opinion, using a chair to perform a quad stretch allows you maximum control by reducing stresses and strains on other parts of your body. I personally use the couch in my house or a flat bench at the gym to perform this movement. Use the following procedure to get a great stretch on your quads:

 

1. Use a sturdy chair in front of you to hold onto for balance and have another chair behind you for the stretch.

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2. Place one chair in front of you with the seat facing away from you and hold onto the back of the chair. Stand up tall and do not lean. Keeping one foot flat on floor, place the top of your other foot on the seat of the chair behind you. Maintain your bent leg in a horizontal position in relationship to the floor and that knee should point down towards the floor and be straight. As mentioned earlier, you can use other objects to place your foot on as long as you maintain your balance and a horizontal position with your bent leg.

 

3. From this position, VERY SLOWING AND GENTLY, using the upper part of your body, lean back slightly. As you lean backward you should begin to feel your quads engaging/stretching and tightening in the front of your thigh. At this point, hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds, then relax and return your foot to the floor.

 

4. Repeat the process in steps 1-3 using the opposite leg. This completes one rep (repetition).

 

5. Complete the entire process again using steps 1-5. This completes the second rep and I recommend you not complete any additional repetitions as this should provide you with an appropriate amount of stretching from this movement.

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Summary

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First and foremost, please read and review the Medical Disclaimer. If it's been awhile since you've exercised and you have health issues or concerns, if you're unsure of your health status, have multiple health problems or are pregnant, consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new exercise or stretching program. Daily stretching of quadricep and hamstring muscles will help keep those muscles loose, flexible, help improve your posture and reduce the likelihood of lower body injuries. In addition, there are numerous other activities that can greatly benefit your day to day health and quality of life. I recommend you consider incorporating one or more these activities into your lifestyle, for example, physical therapy, massage therapy, yoga and pilates. Finally, while the benefits of stretching before and after workouts are up for debate, stretching is good for overall health, as it improves flexibility, helps to prevent injury and improves the quality of day to day life.