What can you do to improve flexibility?

improving-flexibility-strive-physioThe good news is you can improve muscle flexibility and joint range of motion through stretching, despite physiological and other factors.

But what type of stretching is best?

Stretching can be grouped into 3 key types and all of these are important in keeping your muscles and joints at an optimum.

Dynamic stretching – are slow, controlled movements

Dynamic stretching helps the muscles to stretch through their optimal length and take the joint through a full range of motion prior to doing an activity.

It targets the most intensely used muscles in the activity, increasing their elasticity and as a result reducing injury risk due to muscle sprain/strain. An example would be hamstring swings for runners prior to running.

Static stretching – is where a muscle is held in a lengthened position for 20-30 seconds.

It is ideal for stretching connective tissue and helps lengthen a muscle. It is best to be used as a cool down after an activity. An example is a hamstring stretch after running.

3.  Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) is a type of stretching that promotes elongation of muscle tissue.

It aims to optimise the neuromuscular ‘stretch reflex’ response of the body. This involves stretching a muscle passively to its end of range, then either holding or contracting the muscle for 6 seconds, releasing and then stretching the muscle further to a new range, repeating 3-4 times. Yoga and pilates exercises are a form of PNF stretching.

Important to do 3 forms of stretching

To optimise the flexibility of your muscles and joint ROM, it is important to do all 3 types of stretching.

To improve flexibility I recommend …

1.dynamic stretching prior to exercise

2. static stretching after and

3. doing a session of yoga or pilates once a week

Or, make time for a good PNF stretch program once a week to keep you supple.

Tips to remember when stretching

• Always warm up before stretching. Stretching when your muscles are cold could lead to injuries.

• Stretch to the point where you feel some mild tension. You should not feel pain. If you do, stop and release the stretch. Try again in a shorter range, build up to the increased range.

Posted in Dynamic stretching, Exercise, Flexibility, Static stretching, Strive on April 3rd, 2017 by strive

Flexibility: why it is important

exercise-improves-flexibilityFlexibility is important in day-to-day activities and sports. It allows for greater comfort and ability  – and reduces your risk of injury.

To initiate movement, your muscles contract (shorten).  How well they contract will depend on the initial resting length of the muscle.

And, for any movement, there is an optimum resting length to gain the optimum contraction your muscles.

For example …

Turning your head

Turning your head while driving is something we do regularly. This requires optimum resting length in your neck muscles and a muscle contraction.   If the resting length of your neck muscles is less than optimum (shortened) , you won’t be able to turn your head to the desired range.

When you can’t turn your head it means some muscles are too tight and the optimum tension is not correct.

Bending over

Think about bending over to touch your toes. If you can’t bend over like you used to, your hamstrings may be too tight and need lengthening.

What is flexibility?

Flexibility refers to the mobility of your muscles and is defined as the Range Of Motion (ROM) of your joints or the ability of your joints to move through different planes.

There is a balance between the initial resting length of a muscle and the contraction of a muscle to build the right tension to move your joints.  This impacts on the joint range of motion.

  • If the resting length of a muscle is too long, or too short, it will affect the ability of the muscle to contract.

Why is flexibility important

Improves skill level

Good muscle and joint flexibility allow your joints to accommodate all the different angles required for everyday movements or sport-specific movements.

Decreases risk of injury

A balance between the length versus the tension of muscles reduces your risk of injury, particularly muscle tears or sprains.

There are several groups of muscles that show a tendency towards tightness.

These include the:

  • hamstrings
  • calf muscles
  • pectoral muscles and some
  • back muscles.

These muscles are often implicated in musculoskeletal pain, especially back pain and are prone to strains.

Increases efficiency

When muscle length and muscle contraction are optimised, you can obtain maximum muscle power and efficiency for your chosen sport or activity.

For example, when running …

If you have optimal length and tension in hamstrings, quads, hip flexors and gluteal muscles when you are running, this allows for:

  • an increase in speed
  • less fatigue over longer distances
  • overall enhancement of your running enjoyment due to less pain in your legs and lower back

Flexibility can be limited by …

High muscle tone

High muscle tone occurs when the muscle is overworked or tense. Nerves supplying the muscle continue to provide a low-level discharge. This means the muscle cannot fully relax so the resting length is altered. This limits the full range of movement of the joint to which the muscle is attached.

Stretch reflex

As a muscle is rapidly stretched there is an automatic neuromuscular response – the ‘stretch reflex’ which limits overstretching to prevent injury. Where the length and tension relationship of a muscle is reduced, this reflex can start earlier, limiting the joint’s range of motion.

Change in muscle and connective tissue

As we age, muscle fibres are gradually replaced with fibrous connective tissue which is less elastic. This increases the stiffness of the joint, limiting the range of motion of the joint, particularly in highly mobile joints such as the shoulder and hips.

Bony change

Bony changes in the joints due to ageing or injury can affect how the surfaces of the joints line up decreasing flexibility and decreasing joint range of motion.

Poor posture

Poor posture can reduce the optimum length and tension relationship of skeletal muscle leading to stiffness in the joints as they are prevented from moving through their full ROM.

Try this activity and see if you notice the difference in your arm’s range of motion.

  1. Sit in a slumped position and raise your arms up over your head.
  2. Now sit on your sit bones, stack your spine up long and now raise your arms up overhead.
  3. Do you notice the difference?

Previous injuries

Injuries to muscles and connective tissue can lead to a thickening (fibrosing) of the soft tissue. Fibrous tissue is less elastic and can lead to decreased resting length of the muscle and reduced range of movement (ROM) in the affected joint.

 

 

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Posted in Exercise, Flexibility, Joint pain, Strive on March 6th, 2017 by strive

Is heel pain holding you back?

plantar-fasciitisA common cause of heel pain is known as Plantar Fasciitis.

The plantar fascia (PF) is a band of connective tissue on the underside of the foot that enables us to effectively push off from the ground when running or walking.

It connects from the ball to the heel of the foot.

If the plantar fascia becomes inflamed or irritated usually by overloading or overstretching you may feel heel pain.

Plantar fascia can also be irritated by a heel spur.

Signs and symptoms

The most common symptom is pain on the inside of the heel – especially on taking your first step after sitting for extended periods or in the morning.

The pain may be sharp and may be accompanied by mild swelling.

 

You may be at risk if you…

  • recently increased activities such as running that places a lot of stress on the heel bone
  • spend a lot of time standing. Occupations/activities where you are standing for long periods standing on your feet can load the Plantar fascia
  • are middle aged. As we age, muscles supporting the arch of the foot can weaken leading to an increased load on the Plantar fascia.
  • wear shoes that don’t fully support the arch of your foot eg thongs or increased periods of barefoot
  • are overweight. An increase in weight places a greater mechanical load on the Plantar Fascia
  • are pregnant. An increase in weight combined with hormonal changes and swelling can increase the mechanical load on the Plantar Fascia

You may also be at risk if your foot has …

  • poor foot biomechanics eg, excessive foot pronation
  • either a flat or excessively high arch – both put strain on the Plantar Fascia

There are treatments

The good news is that there are many treatments that are highly effective for managing plantar fasciitis. These include:

  • manual therapy to correct foot biomechanics and reduce the load on the Plantar Fascia
  • foot taping and/or orthosis
  • stretching and strengthening muscles contributing to the mechanical loading

Are you experiencing heel pain?

If you are currently experiencing ongoing heel pain, which is worse in the mornings or post activity, don’t hesitate to call us on 9819 6151.

At Strive Physio we not only treat your symptoms but will correct any underlying causes to get you moving well again for the long term.

Posted in Heel pain, Plantar Fascia, Strive on January 30th, 2017 by strive

The Importance of Warming Up

dreamstime_xl_46146163-300Why warm up

Warming up prepares the body for exercise by increasing:

  • blood flow to muscles and hence the nutrients the muscles require for activity
  • blood flow to heart preparing the heart muscle for exercise
  • oxygen delivery to muscles
  • speed of nerve impulses

 

Warming up also decreases:

  • Muscle viscosity leading to smoother muscle contractions and increased mechanical efficiency
  • Stiffness of connective tissue and likelihood of tears

Research shows …

Structured warm up programs designed to prevent injuries can reduce injury risk by 50% or more.

How best to warm up prior to exercise

The most effective warm up should last consists of a:

  1. Pulse raisers
  2. General exercises
  3. Specific exercises

 

Pulse raisers

 

A pulse raiser is designed to gradually increase heart rate (temperature, blood flow and oxygen) to your muscles, preparing the body for exercise.A suitable pulse raiser could be
  • jogging
  • cycling or
  • skipping
TIP: Start slowly and gradually increase.

 

General exercises

 

General exercises are designed to improve your range of motion in preparation for the type of exercise you are about to do.The best type of exercises are dynamic and can include exercises like:
  • high knee running
  • walking lunges with a twist
  • jump squats and
  • arm circles

Specific Exercises

 

Sports specific exercises usually come in the form of drills which repeat common movement patterns and skills you are likely to use in your sport. For example,
  • cutting manoeuvres
  • overhead serves
  • hitting practice
  • passing drills

Warming up – how much is enough?

 

There is no reliable data to prescribe the intensity and duration of a warm up. It is up to the individual to determine.TIP: But a rule of thumb mild is mild sweating without fatigue.

 

The effect of the warm up lasts around 30 minutes so it is important not to warm up too early and remember it is just as important to cool down after.

 

Like some help?

 

We’d be pleased to help you develop a warm-up routine that will keep you moving well.

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Posted in Exercise, Strive on December 13th, 2016 by strive

The rotator cuff and shoulder pain

rotator-cuffMuscles in the rotator cuff allow the should to rotate

The rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles in the shoulder, connecting the upper arm (humerus) to the shoulder blade (scapula).

They include:

• Supraspinaturs
• Infraspinatus
• Teres Minor
• Subscapularis

The rotator cuff tendon attaches the muscles to the head of the arm bone (humerus).  It provides stability to the shoulder joint. When either the muscles and/or tendon is damaged, it can cause shoulder pain.  The pain may limit your ability to  lift your arm up overhead, making everyday movements difficult to do.

 

Common Rotator Cuff Conditions

Rotator cuff tear:  an injury that tears a rotator cuff tendon usually already weakened by age or wear and tear. Symptoms include weakness in the affected arm and pain when sleeping on the affected shoulder.

Rotator cuff tendinopathy: repetitive overhead use of the affected arm (such as painting or throwing) causes swelling and cellular changes in the tendon, leading to pain at rest, on movement and at night.

Rotator cuff impingement:  the tendons of the rotator cuff are squeezed between the humerus and a bone called the acromion. Symptoms and treatment of impingement are similar to rotator cuff tendinopathy but there are many different causes of impingement.   Rotator cuff tendonopathy often leads to impingement.

Subacromial bursitis: inflammation of the small sac of fluid (bursa) that cushions the rotator cuff tendons from a nearby bone (the acromion).

Managing rotator cuff shoulder pain?

  • Relative rest from the aggravating movement and applying ice locally will help reduce acute shoulder pain levels.
  • Physiotherapy will reduce pain levels further and improve shoulder range of motion.  Treatment includes soft tissue therapy, joint mobilisation, dry needling, taping and posture correction.
  • Exercise therapy, especially rotator cuff strengthening exercises, will help prevent further irritation.

Prevention is key

To manage and prevent ongoing episodes it is important to correct the faulty biomechanics of the shoulder through targeted shoulder exercises.

This is where physiotherapy can help!

At Strive Physiotherapy Drummoyne, we can correctly diagnose the cause of your shoulder pain, ensuring the appropriate exercises are prescribed to get you back to the things you love to do.

Call us on 9819 6151 for an appointment.

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Posted in Joint pain, Shoulder pain, Strive on August 29th, 2016 by strive

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