Timing Key To Stretching For Muscle And Joint Health
December 18th, 2010 10:11 AM
Are you tired of achy, sore muscles and joints? Whether you exercise or not, you’ve probably experienced these symptoms at some time or another. After exercising there can be what one of my clients calls “hurting the good hurt.” But the bad hurt is what I want to address here.
From my experience-- whether working with clients or just talking to people -- it seems everyone experiences achy, sore muscles and joints from time to time, so it’s not as if this can be completely avoided. But with three simple steps these symptoms will be less intense and arise less frequently, and your muscles and joints will be healthier and happier.
Work soft tissues before exercise
Soft-tissue work includes massage treatment, Active Release Techniques and Rolfing. However, most of us don’t have these conveniently available or have time for these modalities before exercise. So tools such as a foam roll, a tennis ball, or a lacrosse ball come in handy and really hit the spot…literally!
The reason you want to do soft-tissue work before exercise is because you want to improve not only tissue length but also tissue quality. Take the analogy of a thick rubber band. If I were to place a knot in the middle of the band and pull, would the knot disappear? No. In fact the knot will get tighter and tighter. This is akin to only doing static stretching, which many exercisers do. Before long the band will break either above or below the knot.
This is akin to someone pulling/injuring a hamstring muscle while jogging. I’m sure you’ve experienced this. By using an inexpensive tool for soft-tissue work, i.e. a foam roll, you will break up the knots, adhesions and scar tissue that accumulate over time, thus improving not only tissue length (knots are smaller and/or disappear) but you’ll also improve tissue quality.
Warm up with dynamic flexibility
Whether you strength train, run, swin, cycle or all of the above (preferably at least strength train as this not only promotes the growth of lean muscle but also strengthens your cardiovascular and respiratory systems, too), perform a dynamic flexibility warm-up before beginning. Do not statically stretch before exercising as this will lead to decreases in elasticity and contractibility of the muscles as well as impairing reaction time, coordination, and balance. Essentially, you’ll be slower and weaker.
It has been shown in research that dynamic stretching will improve such things as:
• Performance in sprints, jumping tasks and agility tests.
• Dynamic range of motion (increasing the amount of motion you can get in your joints while moving).
• Reducing injury rates when compared with a static stretching routine.
A pre-exercise dynamic flexibility warm-up will include some five reps each of moves such as Squat-to-Stand, Spidermans, Pike Walks, Frankensteins and Hip Walks, with this pattern repeated two or three times.
Only static stretch tightness after…
Everyone loves to stretch, statically that is. I’m all for static stretching to improve flexibility and tissue length. However, with the rise in such activities as yoga, a problem has arisen. By statically stretching already-stretched, long, weak muscles you further encourage those muscles to be longer and weaker -- leading to less stability and ultimately more risk for injury, particularly in the lower back.
By taking a joint-by-joint look at the body you’ll see there are certain joints that need stabilty and others that need mobility.
Joint Primary Need
Ankle Mobility
Knee Stability
Hip Mobility
Lumbar Spine Stability
Thoracic Spine Mobility
Scapulae Stability/Mobility
Shoulder Mobility
As you can see from the table, the lumbar spine’s primary need is stability, not mobility. Excessive static stretching for this region will lead to more mobility and thus a greater risk for injury. So the key is stretch tight muscles only and don’t overdo stretching in areas such as the lumbar spine as occurs in yoga.
Additionally, we also want to leave static stretching to after exercising (or later in the day) because, as mentioned above, it will make you slower and weaker -- essentially the absolutely opposite of what you want before exercising. There are exceptions to this rule as in the case of overly active, tight muscles which you’d want to stretch before exercising to inhibit them, but generally the post-exercise approach is best.
So there are the three simple steps to healthier, happier muscles and joints. Do this test for me: implement these for the next two weeks and see if your aches and pains don’t significantly diminish or disappear altogether. Your muscles and joints will thank you by not constanting talking to you.
For tips on the soft tissue areas to target before exercising, a demonstration of pre-exercise dynamic flexibility warm-ups, and a recommended list of muscles to stretch after exercise, visit www.MakersBody.com/Exercises.html.
Tyron R. Piteau, B.H.K., R.K., C.H.E.K Practitioner Level 2, is a kinesiologist and
personal trainer on the North Shore. (604) 626-2342. See his secret methods to fat loss at http://www.makersbody.com/ResurrectYourBody.html
Copyright North Shore Magazine Issue Apr - May 08
From my experience-- whether working with clients or just talking to people -- it seems everyone experiences achy, sore muscles and joints from time to time, so it’s not as if this can be completely avoided. But with three simple steps these symptoms will be less intense and arise less frequently, and your muscles and joints will be healthier and happier.
Work soft tissues before exercise
Soft-tissue work includes massage treatment, Active Release Techniques and Rolfing. However, most of us don’t have these conveniently available or have time for these modalities before exercise. So tools such as a foam roll, a tennis ball, or a lacrosse ball come in handy and really hit the spot…literally!
The reason you want to do soft-tissue work before exercise is because you want to improve not only tissue length but also tissue quality. Take the analogy of a thick rubber band. If I were to place a knot in the middle of the band and pull, would the knot disappear? No. In fact the knot will get tighter and tighter. This is akin to only doing static stretching, which many exercisers do. Before long the band will break either above or below the knot.
This is akin to someone pulling/injuring a hamstring muscle while jogging. I’m sure you’ve experienced this. By using an inexpensive tool for soft-tissue work, i.e. a foam roll, you will break up the knots, adhesions and scar tissue that accumulate over time, thus improving not only tissue length (knots are smaller and/or disappear) but you’ll also improve tissue quality.
Warm up with dynamic flexibility
Whether you strength train, run, swin, cycle or all of the above (preferably at least strength train as this not only promotes the growth of lean muscle but also strengthens your cardiovascular and respiratory systems, too), perform a dynamic flexibility warm-up before beginning. Do not statically stretch before exercising as this will lead to decreases in elasticity and contractibility of the muscles as well as impairing reaction time, coordination, and balance. Essentially, you’ll be slower and weaker.
It has been shown in research that dynamic stretching will improve such things as:
• Performance in sprints, jumping tasks and agility tests.
• Dynamic range of motion (increasing the amount of motion you can get in your joints while moving).
• Reducing injury rates when compared with a static stretching routine.
A pre-exercise dynamic flexibility warm-up will include some five reps each of moves such as Squat-to-Stand, Spidermans, Pike Walks, Frankensteins and Hip Walks, with this pattern repeated two or three times.
Only static stretch tightness after…
Everyone loves to stretch, statically that is. I’m all for static stretching to improve flexibility and tissue length. However, with the rise in such activities as yoga, a problem has arisen. By statically stretching already-stretched, long, weak muscles you further encourage those muscles to be longer and weaker -- leading to less stability and ultimately more risk for injury, particularly in the lower back.
By taking a joint-by-joint look at the body you’ll see there are certain joints that need stabilty and others that need mobility.
Joint Primary Need
Ankle Mobility
Knee Stability
Hip Mobility
Lumbar Spine Stability
Thoracic Spine Mobility
Scapulae Stability/Mobility
Shoulder Mobility
As you can see from the table, the lumbar spine’s primary need is stability, not mobility. Excessive static stretching for this region will lead to more mobility and thus a greater risk for injury. So the key is stretch tight muscles only and don’t overdo stretching in areas such as the lumbar spine as occurs in yoga.
Additionally, we also want to leave static stretching to after exercising (or later in the day) because, as mentioned above, it will make you slower and weaker -- essentially the absolutely opposite of what you want before exercising. There are exceptions to this rule as in the case of overly active, tight muscles which you’d want to stretch before exercising to inhibit them, but generally the post-exercise approach is best.
So there are the three simple steps to healthier, happier muscles and joints. Do this test for me: implement these for the next two weeks and see if your aches and pains don’t significantly diminish or disappear altogether. Your muscles and joints will thank you by not constanting talking to you.
For tips on the soft tissue areas to target before exercising, a demonstration of pre-exercise dynamic flexibility warm-ups, and a recommended list of muscles to stretch after exercise, visit www.MakersBody.com/Exercises.html.
Tyron R. Piteau, B.H.K., R.K., C.H.E.K Practitioner Level 2, is a kinesiologist and
personal trainer on the North Shore. (604) 626-2342. See his secret methods to fat loss at http://www.makersbody.com/ResurrectYourBody.html
Copyright North Shore Magazine Issue Apr - May 08
