According to Mark Hines, an exercise physiologist based in London, England, your muscle's flexibility and range of motion are regulated by two sensory organs in it: muscles spindles and Golgi tendon organs (GTOs). Both receptors work together to convey information about the muscle's length and actions to the central nervous system.
Structure
Muscle spindles are made up of muscle fibers within the belly of a muscle. There are nerve fibers within the muscle spindles with synapses at both ends of each fiber that send nerve signals from one cell to the next. Connective tissues surround muscle spindles, which run parallel to how the muscle fibers are aligned.
Function
According to Hines, muscle spindles sends messages to the central nervous system about the length and tension of the muscle, and the speed of its contraction. When a muscle is stretched for a long period of time, the muscle spindles becomes desensitized, decreasing the amount of nerve signals sent to the central nervous system. This allows the muscle to lengthen further.
Warning
If you stretch a muscle too fast or too far, your body responds by doing a stretch reflex, which is a protective mechanism to avoid over-stretching and tearing the muscle. Sometimes this causes the muscle to become tighter and painful, reducing the flexibility until the pain goes away.
When you stretch, only go as far as your flexibility would allow. Stretch the muscle gently and breath deeply. Do not jerk or bounce as you stretch.
Self-Myofascial Release
According to Michael Clark, DPT, CEO of the National Academy of Sports Medicine in Calabasas, California, self-myofascial release (SMR) is a flexibility technique to desensitize tight muscles to increase their length. By using a foam roll, a tennis ball, or a myofascial massage stick to compress the muscle, you can use this to alleviate tenderness and trigger points. The compression relaxes the muscle, allowing you to stretch and relax the area.
Never rush through SMR exercises because it can cause a painful stretch reflex. Roll onto the tender spots gently, applying various amounts of pressure. When the tenderness goes away, move onto the next part.
Considerations
Hines suggests doing static stretching after your workout to decrease muscle tension and restore muscles to their original length. Stretch muscle groups rather than one muscle at a time. When you stretch, hold it for 30 seconds, breathing deeply as you do so.
References
- Human Physiology, 8th Edition"; Stuart Ira Fox; 2003
- "PTontheNet"; Flexibility and Stretching; Mark Hines; October 2004
- "PTontheNet"; Essentials of Integrated Training; Michael Clark; November 2001
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