Ability of body structures or segments to move so that ROM for functional activities is allowed

Ability of an individual to initiate, control, or sustain active movements of the body to perform motor tasks

Supported by a requisite level of muscle function

MOBILITY

Ability to rotate a single joint or series of joinys smoothly and easily through an unrestricted, pain-free ROM

Maximized when the muscle-tendon units that cross a joint havr adequate extensibility to deform and yield to a stretch force

Determinants of flexibility

Extent to which an active muscle contraction can rotate a single joint through its available ROM

Ability of a muscle to contract through the ROM

Degree and quality of tissue extensibility

Extent to which a joint can be passively rotated theough its available ROM

Extensibility of soft tissues that cross and surround a joint

Decreased mobility or restricted motion at a single joint or series of joints

Adaptive shortening of the muscle-tendon unit and other soft tissues that cross or surround a joint

Types of contracture

Shortening of musculotendinous unit and significant loss of ROM but no specific muscle pathology

Managable

Involved muscles appear to be in a constant state of contracture, giving rise to excessive resistance to passive stretch

Increased spasticity

Result of intra-articular parhology that caused when connective tissues that cross or attach to a joint/joint capsule lose mobility

Has restriction joint infusion

Changes in the connective tissue of muscle and periarticular structures can cause adherence of these tissues and subsequent

Process whereby the overall function of a patient may be improved by applying stretching techniques to some muscles and joint while allowing motion limitations to develop in other muscles or joints

A stretch well beyond the normal length of muscle and ROM of a joint and the surrounding tussyes, resulting in

Limited ROM

Loss of soft tissue extensibility

Muscle weakness and shortening of opposing tissue

Retricted motion leading to structural deformities

May be a component of a total fitness or sport-specific conditioning program

Bony block limits joint motion

Recent fracture and/or bony union is incomplete

Acute inflammatory or swelling

Sharp, acute pain with joint movement or muscle elongation

Hematoma or other indication of tissue trauma is observed

Joint hypermobility already exists

Shortened soft tissues provide necessary joint stability in lieu of normal structural stability or neuromuscular control

Shortened soft tissues enable a patient with paralysis or severe muscle weakness to perform specific functional skills otherwise not possible

Increased flexibility and ROM

General fitness

Injury prevention and reduced post-exercise muscle soreness/DOMS

Enhanced performance

Responsible for the strength and stiffness of tissue and resist tensile deformation

Provides extensibility

Great deal of elongation with small loads and fail abruptly without deformation at higher loads

Stable

Provide tissue with bulk

Organic gel containing water and is made up of proteoglycans and glycoproteins

Reduce friction between fibers, transport nutrients and metabolites within the tissue, and maintain space between fibers

Composed of connective tissues (Collagen, Elastin, Reticulin, Ground substance)

Determines by the proportion of collagen and elastin fibers, the proportion of PGs, and by rhe structural orientation of the fibers

Collagen fibers are parallel and can resist the greatest tensile load

Collagen fibers have a random orientation and so are limited in resisting higher levels of tension

collagen fiber alignment varues so that they can resist multi directional forces

Absorb load

Illustrates the mechanical strength of structures and is used to interpret what is happening to connective tissue under stress from an externally applied load

Microfailure

Rupture of some fibers after deformation into the early part of the plastic range

Macrofailure

Rupture of an increased number of fibers and partial failure after deformation into the later part of the plastic range

Complete rupture or tissue failure after deformation beyond the plastic range

Least painful

Force or load per unit area

The internal reaction or resistance to an externally applied load

Has 3 types: tension; compression and shear

The amount of deformation or lengthening that occurs when an external load such as a stretch force is applied to a structure

Resistance to a force applied in a manner that will lengthen the tissue

Resistance to a force applied in a manner that approximates tissue

Resistance to two or more forces that are applied in opposing directions

Major sensory organ of muscle and is sensitive to quick and sustained (tonic) stretch

Main function of these is to detect and convey information about muscle length changes and velocity of those changes

Function is to monitor changes in tension of muscle-tendon units

Sensitive to even slight changes of tension on a muscle-tendon unit brought on by passive stretch or active muscle contractions during normal movement

Stretch

Mechanoreceptors tension

Determinants of stretching interventions

Positioning a limb or the body such that the stretch force is directed to the appropriate muscle group

Fixation of a bony segment that has an attachment of the muscle to be stretched

Magnitude of the stretch force applied

Length of time the stretch force is applied during a stretch cycle

Rate of initial application of the stretch force

Number of stretching sessions per day or week

Form or manner in which the stretch force is applied, degree of patient participation or the source of the stretch force

Stretching should be applied at a low intensity by means of low load

Maximize muscle activation during stretching and reduce the risk of injury to tissues and post stretch muscle soreness

2-5 sessions per week with time in between sessions for tissue healing and maximize DOMS

Soft tissues are elongated just beyond the point of tissue resistance and then held in the lengthened position with a sustained stretch force over a period of time

Effective method to increase flexibility and ROM

Relatively short-duration stretch force that is repeatedly but gradually applied, released, and then reapplied multiple times during a single treatment session

A rapid, forceful intermittent stretch— that is, a high velocity and high intensity stretch

Not recommended for elderly or sedentary individuals or patients with musculoskeletal pathology or chronic contractures

Integrate active muscle contractions into stretching

Apply a very low intensity stretch force over a prolonged period of tume to create relatively permanent lengthening of soft tissues, presumably due to plastic deformation

Type of stretching procedure done independently by the patient after careful instruction and supervised practice

Enables the patient to maintain or increase the extensibility gained as the result of direct intervention by a therapist