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FUNDAMENTALS OF HEALTH AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, Study notes of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences

Exercise physiology, principles of training, program development and management recommendations, Nutrition basics and weight control: risks and Recommendations; choices and benefits Basic principles of fitness and wellness self- assessment and interpretation

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2016/2017

Uploaded on 03/12/2017

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Chapter 5: Flexibility and Low Back Pain
Flexibility: the ability of a joint to move through its full range of
motion.
Range of motion is extremely important for general tness and
wellness.
Flexibility is a highly adaptable physical tness component. It
increases in response to a regular program of stretching
exercises and decreases with inactivity
Flexibility is also specic. Good exibility in one joint doesn’t
mean good exibility in another. Flexibility can be increased
through stretching exercises for all major exercises.
Types of Flexibility
Static Flexibility:
Refers to the ability to assume and maintain an extended
position at one end, or point in a joint’s range of motion.
Ex: static exibility determines how far you can extend your arm
across the front of your body or out to the side.
Depends on your ability to tolerate stretched muscles, the
structures of a joint, and the tightness of muscles, tendons, and
ligaments.
Is easier to measure and better researched, most assessment
test and stretching programs target this type of exibility.
Dynamic Flexibility:
Is the ability to move a joint through its full range of motion with
little resistance.
Ex: aects your ability to pitch a softball, swing a golf ball or
swim the crawl stroke.
Depends on static exibility; but it also involves strength,
coordination and resistance to movement.
Is more important for daily activities and sports
What Determines Flexibility
The exibility of a joint is aected by its structure, muscle elasticity
and length, and by the nervous system regulation.
Some factors cannot be changed ex: joint structure
Factors that can be changed through exercise are: length of resting
muscle bres (these factors should be focus of the program to develop
exibility)
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Chapter 5: Flexibility and Low Back Pain

Flexibility: the ability of a joint to move through its full range of motion.

  • Range of motion is extremely important for general fitness and wellness.
  • Flexibility is a highly adaptable physical fitness component. It increases in response to a regular program of stretching exercises and decreases with inactivity
  • Flexibility is also specific. Good flexibility in one joint doesn’t mean good flexibility in another. Flexibility can be increased through stretching exercises for all major exercises.

Types of Flexibility Static Flexibility:

  • Refers to the ability to assume and maintain an extended position at one end, or point in a joint’s range of motion.
  • Ex: static flexibility determines how far you can extend your arm across the front of your body or out to the side.
  • Depends on your ability to tolerate stretched muscles, the structures of a joint, and the tightness of muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
  • Is easier to measure and better researched, most assessment test and stretching programs target this type of flexibility.

Dynamic Flexibility:

  • Is the ability to move a joint through its full range of motion with little resistance.
  • Ex: affects your ability to pitch a softball, swing a golf ball or swim the crawl stroke.
  • Depends on static flexibility; but it also involves strength, coordination and resistance to movement.
  • Is more important for daily activities and sports

What Determines Flexibility The flexibility of a joint is affected by its structure, muscle elasticity and length, and by the nervous system regulation. Some factors cannot be changed ex: joint structure Factors that can be changed through exercise are: length of resting muscle fibres (these factors should be focus of the program to develop flexibility)

Joint Structure The amount of flexibility in a joint is determined in part by nature and structure of the joint.

  • Hinge joint: such as those in your fingers and knees allow only limited forward and backward movement. They lock when fully extended.
  • Ball and socket joints: joints like the hip enable movement in many different directions and have a greater range of motion.
  • Joint capsules: semi elastic structures that give joints strength and stability but limit movement compose primarily of connective tissue that surrounds major joints. Heredity plays a part in joint structure and flexibility. Ex: although everyone has a broad range of motion in the ball and socket hip joint, not everyone can do the split. Gender may also play a role. Women tend to have greater flexibility than men.

Muscle Elasticity and Length

  • soft tissue: tissue of the human body that include skin, fat, linings of internal organs and blood vessels, connective tissues, tendons, ligaments, muscles and nerves. Also limits the flexibility of a joint.
  • Muscle tissue is the key to developing flexibility because it can be lengthened if it is regularly stretched.
  • The most important component of muscle tissue related to flexibility is the connective tissue that surrounds and envelops every part of the muscle tissue, from the individual muscle fibres to entire muscles.
  • Connective tissue provides structures, elasticity, and bulk and makes up about 30% of muscle mass.

Two Principal types of Connective Tissue

  • Collagen: white fibres that provide structure and support in connective tissue.
  • Elastin: yellow fibres that make connective tissue flexible

Muscles contain both collagen and elastin, closely intertwined, so muscle tissue exhibits the properties of both type of fibres.

  • Titin: a filament in muscle that align the proteins that cause muscle contraction; titin has elastic properties and also plays a role in flexibility.
  • Proprioceptors adapt very quickly to stretching and lack of stretching
  • Performing each stretching exercise several times in succession can “reset” the^ sensitivity of the stretch receptors.
  • Stretching a muscle, relaxing, & then stretching it again cause the stretch receptors to become slightly less sensitive enabling the muscle to stretch farther.

Flexibility and Stretching Exercises

  • Joint health
  • Prevention of low-back pain and injuries
  • Other potential benefits:
  • Relief of aches and pains
  • Relief of muscle cramps
  • Improved body position and strength for sports
  • Maintenance of good posture and balance
  • Relaxation
  • Lifetime wellness benefits

Applying the FITT principle

  • F requency — how often to stretch
  • I ntensity — how far to stretch each muscle
  • T ime — how long to stretch (sec.)
  • T ype — choose exercises that will train the muscles to stretch longer + more easily

Frequency of Exercise

  • Health Canada recommends stretching exercises be performed 4-7 days/week
  • Stretch when muscles are warm, either after a workout or after the active part of a warm-up
  • Do not stretch before a high-performance activity – joints may be temporarily slightly de-stabilized

Intensity and time (duration)

  • Stretch gradually toward tension or a notable “pulling” sensation in muscle – assess the AMOUNT of pulling.
  • Hold each stretch for 15 – 30 seconds then increase pulling, some research indicates holding for a total of 30 – 60 seconds.
  • Do 4 repetitions of each exercise
  • Rest for 30–60 seconds between stretches

Types of stretching techniques

  • Static stretching = slowly stretching a muscle and holding the stretched position
  • Ballistic stretching = suddenly stretching a muscle through a bouncing or swinging movement – leverage and momentum may be used to force muscle length
  • Dynamic (functional) stretching = stretching by moving joints slowly through their range of motions in a controlled manner // sport actions

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation

  • Obtaining a greater training effect by using neuromuscular reflexes; for example, contracting a muscle before it is stretched to maximize relaxation response + inhibit the stretch reflex
  • Temporary lengthening in the muscle as a reaction to neural reflexes
  • Passive stretching = muscles are stretched by force applied by an outside source (doorframe, partner, etc.)
  • Active stretching = muscles are stretched by a contraction of the opposing muscles – this contraction may not be enough to create adequate “pulling” / overload for the muscles to be trained.
  • Safest technique is active static stretching, with an occasional passive assist

Low-Back Health

Function of the spine

  • Provides structural support for the body
  • Surrounds and protects the spinal cord
  • Supports body weight
  • Serves as attachment site for muscles, tendons, ligaments
  • Allows movement of neck and back in all directions

Structure of the Spine

  • 7 cervical vertebrae in the neck
  • 12 thoracic vertebrae in the upper back
  • 5 lumbar vertebrae in the lower back
  • 9 vertebrae at the base of the spine fused into the sacrum and the coccyx (tailbone) Vertebrae
  • Vertebrae consist of a tubular body, a projecting arch, and several bony processes allowing a variety of surfaces for muscle and connective tissue attachments
  • Intervertebral disks = flat elastic disks located between adjoining vertebrae; consist of a gel- and water-filled nucleus surrounded by fibrous rings; serve as shock absorbers
  • Nerve roots = base of spinal nerves that branch off the spinal cord (in pairs)
  • Avoid sitting, standing, or working in the same position for too long
  • Manage body mechanics - sitting, lying, standing
  • Use a supportive seat (driving, sitting) and a medium-firm mattress
  • Warm up thoroughly before exercise
  • Progress gradually when improving strength and fitness

Managing chronic Back Pain

  • Considered chronic if lasts longer than 3 months
  • Symptoms: Stabbing or shooting pain, steady ache accompanied by stiffness, pain that is localized or that radiates to other parts of the body, tingling, loss of feeling, numbness – pressure on nerve roots may affect function of organs (bladder, etc).
  • Treatment: Many options, including medication, exercise, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, education, and surgery

Exercises for prevention and Management of Low-Back Pain

  • Do low-back exercises (strengthening and lengthening) at least 3 days per week
  • Emphasize muscular endurance and core muscles
  • Do not do full range of motion spine exercises early in the morning (soft tissue is more vulnerable) - Engage in regular endurance exercise to tone and balance muscle development and function
  • Be patient and stick with your program – review body position and technique in all activities