Chapter 6
Muscular Flexibility
Assessment and Prescription
General Information
• Flexibility=The ability of a joint to move freely
through its full range of motion
• Most people either don’t stretch or stretch
improperly
• Decreased flexibility = poor posture, aches, pains,
limited joint movement
• 80% low back pain flexibility related
• Billions of dollars a year lost in work productivity
Factors Affecting Flexibility
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Genetic
Physical activity
Joint structure
Ligaments
Tendons
Muscles
Skin
Previous injury
Adipose tissue
Body temperature
Age
gender
Factors Affecting Flexibility
• Plastic Elongation = permanent lengthening
of soft tissue
• Elastic Elongation = temporary lengthening
of soft tissue
Factors Affecting Flexibility
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Muscle temperature changes (+/-) 20%
Proper warm-up = increased flexibility
Adipose increases resistance to movement
Women more flexible than men
Low flexibility
– Sedentary living
– Lack of exercise
– Injury scar tissue
Assessment of Flexibility
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Most are specific to certain sport
Sit-and-Reach best for overall flexibility
Perform test using Fig 6.1 and Table 6.1
Record results
Principles of Muscular Flexibility
Prescription
• Mode of Training
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Ballistic stretching
Slow-sustained stretching
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
Functional warm-up
• Intensity
– Point of discomfort
• Repetitions
– 4-5 times holding 10-30 secs each
• Frequency
– 5-6 times per week
When to Stretch?
• Warm-up and stretching are different
– Warm-up = gradual activity to increase blood
flow to body and muscles
– Stretching = movement of joints through full
range of motion
• Post workout = optimal time to increase
flexibility, decreases muscle soreness
Low Back Issues
• 75 million chronic low back pain Americans
• 80% preventable with proper flexibility
– Posture, physical inactivity, excessive body
weight
• Increased hamstring flexibility and
increased abdominal strength = healthy
back
Assignments
Take on-line textbook quiz:
 Lifetime Fitness textbook link can be found
on right margin of blog site.
• E-mail to ke_tslattery@kentschools.net or
print out copy
• Complete lab 6.1 and 6.3