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By Ellie Gonzalez
Flexibility is a word that we hear a lot these days; it seems as though everyone’s talking about it. But what does it actually mean?
Flexibility is a joint's ability to move through a full range of motion. The more flexible we are the better range of movement we will have in our joints and muscles. Muscles play an important part as they are what enable the joints to move in the first place. However like everything else, muscles age therefore diminishing our flexibility. This is normally due to changes in the connective tissues and the loss of elasticity but with regular and proper stretching we can regain and maintain it.
What will increased flexibility do for you?
Well to start, it will enhance physical performance and efficiency in everyday life as well as in sport. A lot of people don’t think that they need to stretch if they aren’t particularly active and that’s simply not true. Everyone should, especially those that don’t engage in any form of activity! Another benefit is the increase in blood flow to joint structures which will not only improve circulation but also the joint lubrication fluid which is very important for preventing injuries. Low back problems can be lessened if the lumbar and pelvic areas are rendered more flexible as this will reduce putting stress on the lower spine. It will definitely improve posture, muscle balance as well as coordination. And stress can also significantly be reduced as there will be general sense of well being.
Of course, like anything, too much of a good thing can be harmful. It is important to be aware that it is possible to overstretch and this can lead to problems such as micro-tearing. If we suddenly did a very strenuous activity without warming up we’d probably strain our muscles and this could lead to serious injury as they would not be able to protect our joints as efficiently. This is why Active Isolated Stretching is so safe, therapeutic and gentle in its approach. The client moves the limb to his/her end point or barrier and then it is stretched to a point of light irritation. The stretch is held for 2 seconds only so as to prevent any contractive forces from the Stretch reflexes and then brought back to the start position to flush out waste products and to gather fresh blood and oxygen supplies. This is repeated 10 times on each joint
Gentle is definitely the way forward for optimum flexibility. Something else to think about is that stretching shouldn’t be painful. It is normal to feel a slight pressure when we reach our ‘barrier’ but the stretch itself shouldn’t involve excruciating pain of any kind. If it does, it’s definitely causing more harm than good. And suggests there is some underlying pathology. Always listen carefully to your body. It knows best. All in all, the best approach to obtaining a greater maximum range of motion and therefore better mobility and quality of life seems to be that of gentle stretching exercises on a regular basis.
