Stretching is an integral a part of any exercise routine. Larger flexibility allows us to grow to be extra immune to damage whereas gaining power, however most individuals solely learn about two varieties 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 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 approach to enhance flexibility and vary of movement referred to as PNF stretching. In case you’ve ever labored out with a private coach who stretched you post-workout or visited one of many stylish stretching studios, it’s possible you’ll already be accustomed to this observe.
Whether or not you’re a novice or ceaselessly have another person stretch you, right here’s what it is advisable 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 — much like lively stretching. The purpose of the observe is to unlock better ranges of movement and enhance flexibility.
Bodily therapists developed PNF within the Forties as a approach 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, 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 accomplice.
Nonetheless, anybody who needs to enhance mobility can profit from PNF strategies. “It’s a remedy technique and philosophy that makes use of the facility 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 grasp 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 drive supplied by the muscle being stretched, whereas oblique strategies use drive supplied 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.okay.a. push towards a drive with out shifting the muscle) for 5 to 10 seconds.
- After a quick leisure, you’ll discover which you could stretch the muscle a bit deeper.
For instance, should you have been to stretch your hamstring, you’d lie in your again and raise your leg up as excessive as it will probably go whereas conserving it straight. Then, push towards an opposing drive — like a accomplice, strap, or wall — as should you have been going to decrease your leg again down, however be sure that your leg doesn’t transfer. After contracting for as much as 10 seconds, chill out your leg, and you need to be capable to raise it larger than you probably did beforehand.
“This method works by what known as ‘post-isometric leisure,’” Snideman explains, “which implies that a muscle has a quick 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 stress, permitting it to elongate. Put merely, the muscle relaxes itself when it experiences an excessive amount of stress.
You’ll be able to typically do direct PNF stretching with a accomplice or with props like a strap or a wall.
Oblique strategies
Oblique strategies use antagonist, or opposing, physique components to stretch a decent muscle. “This method 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, moderately than contracting that muscle, you isometrically contract different opposing muscle groups for 5 to 10 seconds, which, in flip, assist the tight muscle chill out and stretch.
For instance, should you have been to stretch your chest, you’d raise your arm up in order that it’s parallel to the bottom and stretch it as far again behind as you may with out ache. From that time, brace your arm towards a accomplice or a wall behind you and contract the muscle groups in your shoulders and higher again to push towards the drive. After contracting for as much as 10 seconds, chill out your arm, and it’s possible you’ll discover extra vary of movement within the preliminary chest stretch.
Throughout this method, the muscle groups interact in reciprocal inhibition. Whereas one muscle is contracting, inhibitory alerts trigger the opposing muscle to chill out.
Oblique PNF stretching is usually carried out with a accomplice, however it could be attainable to stretch by yourself with props, relying on what muscle you’re focusing on.
When Ought to I Do PNF Stretching?
“There isn’t any consensus on when it’s best to make use of PNF stretching,” Snideman says. “But when one of these stretching is used previous to exercise, it will probably 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 educated when the muscle is heat, Gagliardi provides.
Additionally, earlier than train, remember to do some dynamic stretching after PNF stretching. In any other case, research present you might have much less vertical leap top or energy throughout your exercise.
What Are the Advantages of PNF Stretching?
“PNF-type stretching typically produces a better 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 every week for 4 weeks, college students carried out:
- Typical static stretching
- PNF stretching
- Mulligan traction straight leg increase (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 take into account PNF the “handiest stretching method” for growing vary of movement.
Precautions When Practising PNF Stretching
To be secure, solely do PNF stretching with an expert, comparable to a private coach or bodily therapist educated within the observe. Inform them about any accidents or strains, as contracting injured muscle groups or tendons could worsen issues, Snideman cautions.
This additionally applies should you’ve had current surgical procedures, as stretching the affected muscle groups could impair restoration. As soon as you realize the strategies, you could possibly do some PNF stretching by yourself.
