Static stretching, involving holding a muscle at end of its’ length for a sustained period of time, is a common component of most individual’s exercise programs but its’ useful compared to other forms of exercise including aerobic and strength training is questionable. Research is unclear on the benefits of static stretching for most individuals, as...
Stretching either dynamically or statically has long been shown to create both short and long term improvements in flexibility, but the mechanism of action behind this form of exercise continues to evolve. Changing human tissue takes considerable time and consistent forces. For example, consider muscle growth or bone density adaptions to exercise. Previous research on...
Stretching remains one of the more debatable areas in our profession. Although mobility and stretching can play a significant role in Physical Therapy treatments designed to help an individual recover from injury their importance in a healthy individual is questionable. Despite this, stretching’s popularity remains on display in most gyms and exercise classes, but the...
In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics we are often trying to improve as many impairments as possible with as few home exercises as needed. Everyone’s time is limited each week and allowing for multiple areas, such as pain, strength, endurance, and mobility, to be improved with 2-3 Physical Therapy exercises requires...
Most patients and clients in our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics are looking to regain mobility. Lost range of motion can be due to a variety of factors including injury, surgery, muscle imbalances, and functional movement patterns. In addition to manual therapy, mobility exercises, and stretching Physical Therapists have looked to increase...
By: Ian Nay, PT, DPT, OCS Mobility work is often emphasized for pain relief, injury prevention, and performance, but how much is truly necessary? Recent research suggests that strength training performed through full ranges of motion may provide many of the mobility benefits people seek, with targeted mobility work serving as a valuable supplement rather...
Why to perform static stretching AFTER running: The ability of an individual to reach maximal performance in distance running is determined by VO2 Max (the body’s ability to utilize oxygen), lactate threshold, and running economy. Running economy is determined by the oxygen cost to perform a given aerobic activity a sub maximum level. Similar to...
Our prior posts on dynamic warm ups have highlighted the benefits of these exercises on injury prevention and sports performance. Conversely, static stretching has been associated with decreased performance due to a reduction in the ability of the stretched muscle to contract and perform dynamically during sport movements. Clearly, the best option for both pro...
Most of us perform stretching and mobility as a complement to our endurance and strength training. Mobility work clearly has a role in our programs to reduce stiffness, soreness, and improve our ability to move more comfortably through a functional range of motion. Our previous blog posts have described the debates around the roles of...
Running remains one of the most popular forms of exercise due to its’ affordability, accessibility, and health benefits. The popularity of the sport has grown tremendously over the last few decades, but despite advancements in shoe wear, training methods, and rehabilitation interventions the injury rates remain frustratingly high. Up to 90% of runners will report...
