Stretching is an integral a part of any exercise routine. Higher flexibility allows us to develop into extra proof against harm whereas gaining energy, however most individuals solely find out about two sorts of stretches:
- Static: Conventional stretching the place a muscle is held in an elongated place for as much as 30 seconds (assume toe-touches) to launch stress and make muscular tissues extra pliable.
- Dynamic: Motion-based actions (e.g., trunk twists, excessive knees) to prime the physique for motion.
However there’s one other method to enhance flexibility and vary of movement known as PNF stretching. In case you’ve ever labored out with a private coach who stretched you post-workout or visited one of many fashionable stretching studios, you might already be acquainted with this apply.
Whether or not you’re a novice or ceaselessly have another person stretch you, right here’s what you could find out about PNF stretching.
What Is PNF Stretching?
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, or PNF stretching, includes stretching a muscle to its restrict after which contracting that muscle or a surrounding muscle to permit for a deeper stretch — much like energetic stretching. The purpose of the apply is to unlock better ranges of movement and enhance flexibility.
Bodily therapists developed PNF within the Forties as a method to deal with sufferers with polio and a number of sclerosis and later started utilizing it for different situations. “PNF stretching is primarily utilized in rehabilitative and orthopedic settings to revive flexibility, energy, and coordination to injured muscular tissues,” explains Chris Gagliardi, scientific schooling content material supervisor for the American Council on Train. Most frequently, this stretching is completed with a skilled associate.
Nonetheless, anybody who desires to enhance mobility can profit from PNF strategies. “It’s a remedy methodology and philosophy that makes use of the ability of the nervous system to reinforce motion,” says private coach and bodily therapist Keats Snideman, PT, DPT, COMT, CSCS, LMT.
He explains that breaking down the acronym helps to know the way it works:
- Proprioceptive: Referring to the various sensory receptors that relay details about the motion and place of the physique again to the central nervous system.
- Neuromuscular: The connection between the nerves and the muscular tissues/tendons that they provide.
- Facilitation: To make an motion or course of simpler.
How Does PNF Stretching Work?
Snideman splits PNF ideas into “direct” and “oblique” strategies. Direct strategies use pressure supplied by the muscle being stretched, whereas oblique strategies use pressure supplied by muscular tissues that oppose the one being stretched.
Direct strategies
Direct strategies are used for tight muscular tissues that aren’t painful or harmful to stretch. A standard stretching methodology is contract-relax (CR):
- You stretch the tight muscle to its finish vary of movement or simply shy of it if that’s painful.
- Then from that place, isometrically contract the muscle (a.okay.a. push towards a pressure with out shifting the muscle) for 5 to 10 seconds.
- After a short leisure, you’ll discover that you would be able to stretch the muscle a bit deeper.
For instance, when you had been to stretch your hamstring, you’d lie in your again and elevate your leg up as excessive as it could go whereas holding it straight. Then, push towards an opposing pressure — like a associate, strap, or wall — as when you had been going to decrease your leg again down, however ensure that your leg doesn’t transfer. After contracting for as much as 10 seconds, calm down your leg, and it’s best to be capable to elevate it greater than you probably did beforehand.
“This system works by what is named ‘post-isometric leisure,’” Snideman explains, “which implies that a muscle has a short interval of leisure after isometric contraction.”
This leisure is feasible due to a reflex known as autogenic inhibition. When the muscle contracts, sensory receptors known as golgi tendon organs ship an inhibitory sign that directs the muscle to launch stress, permitting it to elongate. Put merely, the muscle relaxes itself when it experiences an excessive amount of stress.
You may usually do direct PNF stretching with a associate or with props like a strap or a wall.
Oblique strategies
Oblique strategies use antagonist, or opposing, physique components to stretch a good muscle. “This system could be higher when a muscle is weak or painful to contract,” Snideman says.
With oblique strategies:
- You stretch the tight muscle to its finish vary of movement or simply shy of it if that’s painful.
- Then, quite than contracting that muscle, you isometrically contract different opposing muscular tissues for 5 to 10 seconds, which, in flip, assist the tight muscle calm down and stretch.
For instance, when you had been to stretch your chest, you’d elevate your arm up in order that it’s parallel to the bottom and stretch it as far again behind as you possibly can with out ache. From that time, brace your arm towards a associate or a wall behind you and contract the muscular tissues in your shoulders and higher again to push towards the pressure. After contracting for as much as 10 seconds, calm down your arm, and you might discover extra vary of movement within the preliminary chest stretch.
Throughout this method, the muscular tissues have interaction in reciprocal inhibition. Whereas one muscle is contracting, inhibitory alerts trigger the opposing muscle to calm down.
Oblique PNF stretching is usually carried out with a associate, however it might be attainable to stretch by yourself with props, relying on what muscle you’re concentrating on.
When Ought to I Do PNF Stretching?
“There isn’t a consensus on when it’s best to make use of PNF stretching,” Snideman says. “But when the sort of stretching is used previous to exercise, it could assist somebody obtain the vary of movement they want for no matter exercise they’re about to partake in.”
It’s greatest to heat up earlier than doing PNF stretching, as flexibility is most successfully skilled when the muscle is heat, Gagliardi provides.
Additionally, earlier than train, you’ll want to do some dynamic stretching after PNF stretching. In any other case, research present you might have much less vertical leap peak or energy throughout your exercise.
What Are the Advantages of PNF Stretching?
“PNF-type stretching usually produces a better enhance in vary of movement extra rapidly than passive or static approaches,” Snideman says.
In a research revealed in Biology of Sport in 2016, researchers divided 40 faculty college students with tight hamstrings into 4 teams. Three days per week for 4 weeks, college students carried out:
- Typical static stretching
- PNF stretching
- Mulligan traction straight leg elevate (TSLR) method (one other method that will increase hamstring flexibility)
- No stretching
PNF stretching and Mulligan TSLR each elevated hamstring vary of movement greater than static stretching did. Some even think about PNF the “simplest stretching method” for rising vary of movement.
Precautions When Working towards PNF Stretching
To be protected, solely do PNF stretching with an expert, reminiscent of a private coach or bodily therapist skilled within the apply. Inform them about any accidents or strains, as contracting injured muscular tissues or tendons could worsen issues, Snideman cautions.
This additionally applies when you’ve had current surgical procedures, as stretching the affected muscular tissues could impair restoration. As soon as the strategies, you could possibly do some PNF stretching by yourself.