PHYSIOCARE'S DORM ROOM

Should I Stretch before I work out?
Written by Joel Crandall

Should You Stretch to Warm up the muscle and prevent injuries?

YES if Using Active Isolated Stretching! AIS warms the tissues by Increasing local blood flow, oxygen and nutrition to the tissues before and after activity.

NO if you are using the 'Gold" Standard of 15-60 second stretches (Read Below)
YES if using Active Isolated Stretching! Its warms the tissues by
WHY? Prolonged Static (passive) Stretching actually decreases blood flow within the tissue creating localized ischemia and lactic aid build-up.

"This potentiates irritation and/or injury of local muscular, tendonous, lymphatic, as well as neural tissues, similar to the effects and consequences of trauma and overuse syndromes." Aaron Mattes


When stretching 30-60 seconds or longer YOU are Starving the muscle! You're asking or waiting for the starved muscle to hold on until it can't any longer and submits to your request. Yoga calls it 'surrendering'.

Does this sound like working WITH the Body? Sound healthy?
Then why are Most of us doing this with 30-60 second stretching?
Why has it been the so-called Gold Standard?
Do you enjoy stretching this way?
More Importantly have you become flexible in a short period of time?

Think about what happens when your leg falls asleep from sitting in one position for a length of time (Static Stretch). Due to ischemia you may feel needles, tingling, pain, numbness, etc., Causing lactic acid build inside the muscle due to lack of oxygen.

Can u move the muscle quickly? NO. But this is exactly what we are doing with long static stretching or even PNF Stretching. Many athletes try burst into action.

Think you are performing at your peak??
Think you maybe susceptible to an injury?

Remember, you could hardly move when your leg fell asleep and now you're trying to burst into action.

Active Isolated Stretching works synergistically with all the bodies' systems- Muscular, cardiovascular, lymphatic and nervous systems.

With Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) you feed the muscle fresh blood. Fresh Blood that is carrying fresh oxygen and nutrients in well nutritioned meals with each repetition of the stretch!! Yes, I said repetition of the stretch!

With AIS, you only hold the stretch for 2 seconds while using the opposing muscle move the joint. AIS is backed by science!

AIS is based on the Science of the Myotatic reflex or the Stretch reflex response and Sherrington's Law II.

Sherringtons II Law of Reciprocal Innervation- a muscle will relax when its opposite muscle is activated (Agonist/Antagonist Relationship)
Note: Remember a Muscle Can ONLY contract or relax. It cannot do both simultaneously.

LEDERMAN 1997- GTO's able to reset their muscles' length during dynamic contractions

JAMI 1992- Passive myo-fascial stretching does NOT stimulate GTO's (Static)

1. Definition of Ischemia- Tissues in the body Not Being properly fed with oxygen and nutrients due lack of blood flow to that particular area of the body. Most Disease in its simplest definition is due to Ischemia- lack of blood flow to any soft tissue!

2. "When a muscle lengthens beyond a certain point, the myotatic reflex causes it to tighten and attempt to shorten. This is the tension you feel during stretching exercises. The term "myotatic reflex" was coined by Sir William Richard Gowers 1845-1915) in the 1880's.

3. "Sherrington's Law of reciprocal innervation. When contraction of a muscle is stimulated, there is a simultaneous inhibition of its antagonist (opposing muscle). It is essential for coordinated movement".


PhysioCareCenter
Written by Joel Crandall