What type of stretching requires targeted muscle contraction and relaxation against resistance?

Stretching is an activity that should be a priority in any avid fitness lover’s agenda; it increases your flexibility and range of motion and can help reduce the risk of injury and muscle strain during weightlifting and running. However, many may not know that there are four distinct types of stretches—with each benefitting the body in different ways. Understanding all four types of stretches can help you recover more quickly from any kind of physical activity.

4 Different Stretches for Different Situations

Active stretching involves holding a pose to utilize a targeted muscle group. For example, an overhead stretch can target your shoulders, chest, forearms, and lats. Active stretching is commonly performed as a warm-up to prepare the muscles for exercise.
This type of stretching is best for balance enhancement and flexibility. For example, stretching your hamstrings by bending over and stabilizing your legs can foster flexibility by staying in that position for a set period of time. Passive stretching is commonly utilized in Yoga.
Dynamic stretching is achieved on movements with momentum, rather than a static stretch. An example of dynamic stretching would be moving your arm in a full rotation to stretch your shoulder repeatedly. Each pass is a stretch to activate the muscles and increase flexibility.
PNF (short for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretching is an assisted stretching method, involving laying on a table, with the help of a certified specialist. PNF stretches are very focused, similar to passive stretching, and the physical therapy specialist will hone in specifically on target muscles by holding you in position.

While you can incorporate these stretches into your everyday exercise routine, increased flexibility through stretching can also help you bounce back from an injury.

Stretch and Recover With Our Rehabilitation Team

If you have sustained a sports- or fitness-related injury, contact the professionals at Orthopaedic Associates of St. Augustine. Our Rehabilitation Team includes physical therapists, occupational therapists, and athletic trainers that specialize in all four types of stretches as well as orthopaedic rehab—therapy specific to recovery from injuries to the musculoskeletal system.

Our specialists at Orthopaedic Associates of St. Augustine are trained in the treatment of fractures, acute sports injuries, arthritis, sprains, strains, back and neck pain, amputations, and a full spectrum of other orthopaedic related conditions to help you regain mobility and get back to your daily routines free of pain.

If you’ve experienced any type of orthopaedic injury, our team is here to help you recover. Please request an appointment online or give us a call at 904-825-0540 today.

We all know, or at least have heard, about the importance of stretching. Whether it is to improve your athletic performance, for general health and wellness, or to relieve pain and tension, stretching can be the answer. The real question is what kind of stretching should we be doing to get the best results. When it comes to stretching, there are three main techniques: static, dynamic, and ballistic stretching.

Static stretching is what typically comes to mind when talking about stretching. It is a form of active or passive stretching in which you hold a position for about 30-60 seconds, allowing the muscles and their connective tissues, fascia, to lengthen. This is the most commonly known style of stretching and has been seen as the status quo for years. This style of stretching may not be the best way to improve performance before physical activity. Using a static stretching program prior to engaging in physical activity may inhibit the muscle’s ability to fire properly. The primary reason for this is a reduction in muscle tension and an increase in length between resting muscle fibers. These two factors alter the length-tension relationship of the muscle, causing a decrease in muscle excitability. This in turn can directly affect the muscle’s ability to optimally function. Think of the tension in a rubber band. When you stretch a rubber band and hold that tension for a long period of time, you cause the rubber band to increase in length but lose the stored energy. The band’s tension is what allows the band to be functional. Our bodies rely on similar forces to propel us forward during a run, or allow us to jump high during a sport like basketball. If we overstretch our muscles, this inhibits elasticity, which inhibits our performance.

Dynamic stretching is a form of active stretching that is performed by engaging the desired muscle’s antagonist through the joint’s range of motion, only holding the stretch for 2-3 seconds. Because the stretch is only held briefly, the muscle is able to increase in length without a reduction in muscle tension or muscle excitability. By preventing the reduction in muscle tension, an individual is able to improve their range of motion without a loss in force production. Dynamic stretching is the style utilized by the therapists here at LYMBR. This type of stretching is also referred to as a dynamic warm-up, which athletes use to prepare their muscles for the rigorous demands of their sport.

Ballistic stretching is the most controversial form of stretching. Unlike dynamic stretching, ballistic stretching utilizes muscle activation through quick, jerky movements. This inhibits the body’s stretch reflex and increases the muscle’s range of motion through the force created by the bouncing. The extra external force produced can overload the muscle, increasing the risk for potential injury. Because the high risk of injury does not outweigh the benefits of the stretch, most fitness professionals do not recommend using this style of stretching.

When looking at the three different styles of stretching, we can see that they can all be utilized to increase range of motion. Static stretching is the more well-know style and is commonly used for general stretching, but can inhibit muscle excitability, making it unappealing to people active in fitness and athletics. Dynamic stretching increases range of motion while maintaining muscle tension, making it useful for general stretching, fitness enthusiasts and athletes. Ballistic stretching can increase range of motion quickly, but has a higher risk of injury than other effective techniques. We all know we should stretch – stretching safely and effectively will help you reach your health and wellness goals.

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Contract Relax (CR)	Contraction of the muscle through its spiral-diagonal PNF pattern, followed by stretch
Hold Relax (HR)	Contraction of the muscle through the rotational component of the PNF pattern, followed by stretch
Contract-Relax Agonist Contract (CRAC)	Contraction of the muscle through its spiral-diagonal PNF pattern, followed by contraction of opposite muscle to stretch target muscle