Muscle blog series: Part 3: Muscle Flexibility

What is muscle flexibility?

Flexibility is defined as the ability to move body joints through a full range of motion. So muscle flexibility contributes to this overall flexibility as muscle is responsible for the movement of the joints. Primarily the ligaments limit excessive movement at our joints but muscle plays its part especially is 2 joint muscles! Think about it, can you touch your toes? What is the most likely limiting factor? Hamstrings?

So overall muscle flexibility is the ability of the muscle to lengthen to an appropriate length for specific activities.

What do I need muscle flexibility for?

If muscles are too short for the movements that you use and need, then it will lead to decreased performance, abnormal movement and injury (either cumulative or in a one off event).

How do I know if I need to improve my muscle flexibility?

Everybody is different. It’s not a one size fits all.

Ideally you need to be screened for your sport as each sport and each person is different with certain demands on them.

Screening:

This is an examination of the body’s mechanics.

Its aim is to highlight any muscle or joint dysfunctions and muscular imbalances which are major contributors to overuse injuries during sporting performance (Forster et al, 2006).

Screening is research based to help the prevention of injury and enhancing the athlete’s performance.

It needs to be specific: Analysis with video of the movements produced and faults with them.

Muscular imbalances are major contributors to overuse injuries during sporting performance (Forster et al., 2006).

So overall it improves performance and reduces the risk of injury.

Common mistakes:

Ever heard this?

I stretch all the time but my hamstrings are always tight!

Well there is a good reason for this. Lots of people stretch when they do exercise, some do it before and some believe that it is part of a warm up.

Time to set the records straight:

Static hold stretches ideally are best done post session as you are warm already.

Contrary to popular belief, stretching isn't a warm-up and in fact stretching pre exercise causes a loss of strength so could potentially increase your risk of injury:

A reduction in strength & power in those who statically stretched before exercise was between 1.9% to 5.4%. Simic et al (2012)

So instead a warm up stretch should be dynamic (not held) and shouldn't replace the actual warm-up.

So how do I stretch if I need to lengthen the muscle then?

You have to hold the stretches for at least 20-30 seconds for muscle to increase flexibility.

You need to hold the stretches for around 10-15 seconds for muscle to maintain flexibility

If you are hypermobile (double jointed) then you should only stretch to maintain, if that.

To increase your flexibility you need to stretch at least twice daily every day.

Does anything else increase muscle flexibility?

Classic & deep massage had an immediate, significant effect on hamstring length in female field hockey players (Hopper et al 2004). However this effect is likely temporary.

Hardy and Woodall (1998) state the mild heating of soft tissue increases blood flow and metabolic rate and further heating causes changes of the collagen molecule as it alter bonds between them to increase extensibility. Heinrich (2003) found decreased threshold of golgi tendon organs and muscle spindle activity all causing muscle relaxation. Sound heating will help you to stretch so heat and stretch could be the best technique. This was reinforced by Lentell et al (1992). Their study looked at the effect of superficial heat with a low load prolonged stretch on shoulder flexibility, they compared a variety of treatments and found those who received heat and stretch had more of an increase in flexibility than those stretching alone!

Here are some pictures showing correct techniques for stretching a few different muscles:

Rear Deltoid:

Triceps: 

Gastrocnemius:

Soleus:

Quads:

Lower Hamstrings:

Upper Hamstrings:

Glutes:

Hip Flexors:

Upper fibres of Trapezius:

Wrist Extensors:

If you need any further information or would like to book an appointment then call Hawkes Physiotherapy on 01782 771861 or 07866195914

Keep posted for the next article in the muscle blog series over the coming weeks.

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