Stretching is an integral a part of any exercise routine. Better flexibility allows us to develop into extra immune to damage whereas gaining power, however most individuals solely learn about two sorts of stretches:
- Static: Conventional stretching the place a muscle is held in an elongated place for as much as 30 seconds (suppose toe-touches) to launch rigidity and make muscle groups extra pliable.
- Dynamic: Motion-based actions (e.g., trunk twists, excessive knees) to prime the physique for motion.
However there’s one other technique to enhance flexibility and vary of movement referred to as PNF stretching. For those who’ve ever labored out with a private coach who stretched you post-workout or visited one of many stylish stretching studios, you could already be acquainted with this apply.
Whether or not you’re a novice or often have another person stretch you, right here’s what you want to learn about PNF stretching.
What Is PNF Stretching?
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, or PNF stretching, entails stretching a muscle to its restrict after which contracting that muscle or a surrounding muscle to permit for a deeper stretch — just like energetic stretching. The aim of the apply is to unlock larger ranges of movement and enhance flexibility.
Bodily therapists developed PNF within the Forties as a technique to deal with sufferers with polio and a number of sclerosis and later started utilizing it for different circumstances. “PNF stretching is primarily utilized in rehabilitative and orthopedic settings to revive flexibility, power, and coordination to injured muscle groups,” explains Chris Gagliardi, scientific training content material supervisor for the American Council on Train. Most frequently, this stretching is finished with a educated companion.
Nevertheless, anybody who needs to enhance mobility can profit from PNF strategies. “It’s a therapy technique and philosophy that makes use of the ability of the nervous system to boost 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 numerous 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 muscle groups/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 offered by the muscle being stretched, whereas oblique strategies use pressure offered by muscle groups that oppose the one being stretched.
Direct strategies
Direct strategies are used for tight muscle groups that aren’t painful or harmful to stretch. A standard stretching technique 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.ok.a. push in opposition to a pressure with out transferring 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, in case you have been to stretch your hamstring, you’d lie in your again and elevate your leg up as excessive as it could go whereas conserving it straight. Then, push in opposition to an opposing pressure — like a companion, strap, or wall — as in case you have been going to decrease your leg again down, however make sure that your leg doesn’t transfer. After contracting for as much as 10 seconds, loosen up your leg, and you need to have the ability to elevate it increased than you probably did beforehand.
“This system works by what is known as ‘post-isometric leisure,’” Snideman explains, “which signifies that a muscle has a short interval of leisure after isometric contraction.”
This leisure is feasible due to a reflex referred to as autogenic inhibition. When the muscle contracts, sensory receptors referred to as golgi tendon organs ship an inhibitory sign that directs the muscle to launch rigidity, permitting it to elongate. Put merely, the muscle relaxes itself when it experiences an excessive amount of rigidity.
You’ll be able to usually do direct PNF stretching with a companion or with props like a strap or a wall.
Oblique strategies
Oblique strategies use antagonist, or opposing, physique elements to stretch a decent 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, somewhat than contracting that muscle, you isometrically contract different opposing muscle groups for 5 to 10 seconds, which, in flip, assist the tight muscle loosen up and stretch.
For instance, in case you have 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’ll be able to with out ache. From that time, brace your arm in opposition to a companion or a wall behind you and contract the muscle groups in your shoulders and higher again to push in opposition to the pressure. After contracting for as much as 10 seconds, loosen up your arm, and you could discover extra vary of movement within the preliminary chest stretch.
Throughout this method, the muscle groups have interaction in reciprocal inhibition. Whereas one muscle is contracting, inhibitory alerts trigger the opposing muscle to loosen up.
Oblique PNF stretching is often carried out with a companion, however it could 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 such a 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 finest to heat up earlier than doing PNF stretching, as flexibility is most successfully educated when the muscle is heat, Gagliardi provides.
Additionally, earlier than train, be sure you do some dynamic stretching after PNF stretching. In any other case, research present you could have much less vertical leap peak or energy throughout your exercise.
What Are the Advantages of PNF Stretching?
“PNF-type stretching usually produces a larger enhance in vary of movement extra shortly than passive or static approaches,” Snideman says.
In a research printed 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 increase (TSLR) approach (one other approach 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 approach” for growing vary of movement.
Precautions When Practising PNF Stretching
To be secure, solely do PNF stretching with an expert, akin to a private coach or bodily therapist educated within the apply. Inform them about any accidents or strains, as contracting injured muscle groups or tendons might worsen issues, Snideman cautions.
This additionally applies in case you’ve had latest surgical procedures, as stretching the affected muscle groups might impair restoration. As soon as you already know the strategies, you could possibly do some PNF stretching by yourself.
