This document provides an overview of stretching, including key terms, goals, benefits, techniques, and principles. It defines stretching as applying force to musculotendinous structures to change their length. The main benefits discussed are elongation of soft tissues, stimulation of circulation and lymph flow, aiding muscular balance and repair. Various stretching techniques are covered, including static, passive, active, ballistic, and dynamic. Principles of stretching safely without causing pain are also outlined.

1. WELCOME TO

2. What’s in store for workshop…
 Define key terms.
 Discuss What is Stretching?
 Define and discuss stretching within our scope.
 Discuss some of the many stretching disciplines.
 Discuss Goals, benefits, contraindications of
Stretching.
 BODYWORK, BODYWORK, AND BODYWORK

3. Muscles that are repeatedly tightened will
lose their elasticity and stiffen over time
thus creating a chain reaction leading to
muscular dysfunction, joint imbalance, and
decrease in ROM.

4. Tightened
muscles
Ischemia
Metabolic waste
buildup  Loss of
elasticity and
pliability 
Restricted ROM
and so forth and so forth

5. DYSFUNCTIONAL MUSCLES…
IF MUSCLES ARE NOT IN SYNCH AND ALIGNED
PROPERLY YOU WILL GET…
TORQUES, SHEERS
TILTS, FLAIRS, AND…
ROTATIONS

6.  ONE REASON STRETCHING IS
IMPORTANT…
As we age…our lymph, fascia, and
connective tissue thickens.
 Our body exchanges flexibility for stability.

7. DYSFUNCTIONS OF SOFT
TISSUE
SCAR TISSUE INFLAMMATION
Trigger Points. Tender Points. Adhesion
Taut Bands. Ischemia. Spasms

9. STRETCHING…
Stretching is defined as the application of force to
musculotendinous structures in order to achieve a
change in its length.

10. EVERYTHING DONE TO THE BODY’S
SOFT TISSUE, INCLUDING
PALPATION, STRETCHES IT.

11. Purpose of Stretching…
 Increase the resting length of a muscle.
 Assess condition of joint and/or tissue.
 Develop Flexibility.
 Eliminate Waste.
 Align Scar Tissue.

12.  It is the secret to muscular tone, regeneration,
recovery, and performance.
 One purpose of stretching is the gaining and
maintaining of ROM.

14. BENEFITS OF STRETCHING…
ELONGATION OF SOFT TISSUE(S)
STIMULATION OF CIRCULATION AND LYMPH
FLOW
AIDS IN MUSCULAR BALANCE AROUND A JOINT
AIDS IN ALLOWING BODY TO REPAIR ITSELF
RESETS MUSCLE SPINDLES
REALIGNS SCAR TISSUE
RELEASES RESTRICTED FASCIA

15. FLEXIBILITY…
… the ability to move
muscles and joints
through their full
ROM.

16.  Flexibility is developed when connective tissue
and muscles are elongated.
 Increase in flexibility=decrease in injury.
 The majority of physical pain conditions are
caused by muscular inflexibility.
 Whether a knot or a strain in the muscle, the goal
is to restore the flexibility that was lost.
 Over stretching impedes flexibility because it
damages tissue.

17. A FLEXIBLE BODY IS…
 PROPERLY
ALIGNED
 FULLY MOBILE
 FUNCTIONAL

18. *TO ACHIEVE OPTIMAL FLEXIBILITY
MUSCLES MUST BE DREDGED OF ALL
METABOLIC WASTE AND FRESH BLOOD
MUST ENTER. ONLY THEN WILL THE
MUSCLES FIBERS ELONGATE.

19. STRETCHING TECHNIQUES
STATIC
PASSIVE
MFR
MET
ART
DYNAMIC
PNF
STR
AIS
EGOSCUE
MF UNWINDING
FOAM ROLLING

20. STRETCHING TECHNIQUES…
THERE ARE MANY BUT THEY ALL SHARE THE
SAME IDEA OR CONCEPT AND THAT IS THE
ELONGATION OF THE MUCSLES AND
CONNECTIVE TISSUE.

21. Category of Stretching…
PASSIVE
ACTIVE
ASSISTED
 Movement…
BALLISTIC
DYNAMIC
STATIC

23. PASSIVE STRETCHING…
 PERFORMED MAINLY
DURING A MASSAGE
SESSION…
 ACTIVATES GTO-
(Muscle Relaxation)
 RELEASES PRESSURE
AROUND JOINT
 RESTORES ELASTICITY
OF SOFT TISSUE
 STIMULATION OF
CIRCULATION (30%)
 Due to the greater force applied to the
muscle this form of stretching is more
hazardous with greater risk of injury.

24. ACTIVE STRETCHING
 MEANS THE
PERSON WHO IS
STRETCHING IS
DOING THE WORK.

25. STATIC STRETCHING
 STRETCHES
PERFORMED W/O
MOVEMENT
 PERFORMED BY THE
PERSON
 STRETCHES HELD 10-20
SECS
 CAN BE HELD FOR 30-60
 MUSCLE IS SLOWLY
TAKEN TO FULL
LENGTH THEN HELD.
 HOLDING STRETCHES
WHILE YOUR BODY IS
AT REST.

26. DYNAMIC STRETCHING
 INCORPORATES LARGE
RANGE OF MOVEMENT.
 PREPARES YOUR
MUSCLES FOR
EXERCISES OR SPORTS.
 DOES LITTLE TO
INCREASE FLEXIBILITY.
 INCREASES HEART
RATE AND KEEPS
MUSCLES AND JOINTS
WARM AND MOBILE.
 STRETCHING WHILE
YOUR BODY IS IN
MOTION.

27. BALLISTIC STRETCHING
 HIGHER RISK OF
INJURY
 PERFORMED
USING RAPID
BOUNCING
MOVEMENTS
FORCE.
 WARMS MUSCLES.
 FAST
ELONGATION OF
MUSCLE FIBERS.

28. STRETCHING PROPER
ORDER
TIGHTNESS STARTS IN THE JOINT CAPSULE
(50%), THE FIRST BARRIER OF TIGHTNESS,
RESTRICTING FLEXIBILITY
STRETCHING IN LAYERS:
1. JOINT CAPSULE
2. DEEPER LAYERS OF MUSCLES (POSTURAL)
before stretching the…
3. SUPERFICIAL LAYERS

29. STRETCHING AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
THE KEY GOAL OF STRETCHING IS TO ACTIVATE
THE GTO WITHOUT FIRING OFF THE SPINDLE
CELLS!!

30. MYOTATIC STRETCH REFLEX
PART OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, THIS
STRETCH REFLEX PREVENTS A MUSCLE
FROM STRETCHING TOO FAR TOO FAST AND
PROTECTS THE JOINT FROM INJURY.
PROPRIOCEPTORS: GOLGI TENDON ORGANS, SPINDLE
CELLS.
MECHANORECEPTORS: PANCINI CORPUSCLES, RUFFINI
CORPUSCLES, MERKEL’S DISCS, AND MEISSNER’S CORPUSCLES

31. WHEN NOT TO STRETCH…
 AFTER A FRACTURE
 DURING HIGH FEVER
 WHEN JOINT IS INFLAMED
 WHEN OPEN SORES OR STITCHES ON
THE SKIN COVER THE MUSCLE.

32. PRINCIPLES OF STRETCHING…
AVOID PAIN
STRETCH SLOWLY
STRETCH CORRECT MUSCLE
WORK WITHIN COMFORT LEVEL