In this chapter you learned about flexibility and range of motion. You know that range of motion is the amount of movement that is possible for a joint, and each joint has its own range of motion. Long muscles and tendons allow you to have a healthy range of motion, and short muscles and tendons limit range of motion. However, as you learned in this chapter, having too much range of motion can sometimes be a problem.
Stretching is used to lengthen muscles and tendons to increase flexibility and range of motion, and a warm-up is used before exercise to prepare you for participation. It’s important to know that a warm-up and a stretching program to improve flexibility are NOT the same. A warm-up includes both a general body warm-up, such as walking or jogging, and static stretching after the general warm-up (see pages 66 and 67 of your textbook). There’s some debate about the value of the warm-up in preventing injury and improving performance. Some evidence shows that if high-level performers stretch before an event requiring power, their power can be limited. But for the average person there are no disadvantages to a proper warm-up, and many experts feel that there are advantages.
But the warm-up is NOT the time to do extensive stretching to improve flexibility. You should perform the stretching exercises described in your book after your body is warm—many experts suggest this can come in the middle or toward the end of your exercise program. If you’re doing a stretching program as a separate exercise session, a period of general exercise before the stretching is recommended.
While there’s some doubt about how much a warm-up (short stretching session before a performance) can benefit your performance or limit injury, there’s little doubt that a proper stretching program (regular stretching as part of your total exercise plan) can lengthen muscles and improve flexibility, which in turn has a positive effect on performance and injury prevention.
You only have to look at the performances of a gymnast, a diver, or a fencer to see that those who are successful have very good flexibility. These athletes must stretch regularly to have the flexibility and range of motion necessary for top-level performance. Also, there’s little doubt that people with very short muscles put themselves at risk of back and other health problems. This is why physical therapists use stretching exercises to help people with these problems.
To learn more about muscles and joints, click here.
