Stretching is an integral a part of any exercise routine. Larger flexibility permits us to turn into extra immune to harm 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 (suppose toe-touches) to launch rigidity and make muscle tissue extra pliable.
- Dynamic: Motion-based actions (e.g., trunk twists, excessive knees) to prime the physique for motion.
However there’s one other option to improve 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, chances are you’ll already be aware of this observe.
Whether or not you’re a novice or continuously have another person stretch you, right here’s what you have 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 lively stretching. The objective of the observe is to unlock better ranges of movement and enhance flexibility.
Bodily therapists developed PNF within the Forties as a option 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 tissue,” explains Chris Gagliardi, scientific training content material supervisor for the American Council on Train. Most frequently, this stretching is completed with a educated accomplice.
Nevertheless, anybody who needs to enhance mobility can profit from PNF methods. “It’s a therapy technique 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 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 tissue/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” methods. Direct strategies use drive offered by the muscle being stretched, whereas oblique strategies use drive offered by muscle tissue that oppose the one being stretched.
Direct methods
Direct methods are used for tight muscle tissue 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 short leisure, you’ll discover you could stretch the muscle a bit deeper.
For instance, for those who had been to stretch your hamstring, you’d lie in your again and raise your leg up as excessive as it may go whereas maintaining it straight. Then, push towards an opposing drive — like a accomplice, strap, or wall — as for those who had been going to decrease your leg again down, however be certain your leg doesn’t transfer. After contracting for as much as 10 seconds, chill out your leg, and it is best to be capable of raise it larger than you probably did beforehand.
“This system works by what is named ‘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 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 rigidity, permitting it to elongate. Put merely, the muscle relaxes itself when it experiences an excessive amount of rigidity.
You may usually do direct PNF stretching with a accomplice or with props like a strap or a wall.
Oblique methods
Oblique methods use antagonist, or opposing, physique components to stretch a good muscle. “This system is perhaps higher when a muscle is weak or painful to contract,” Snideman says.
With oblique methods:
- 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 tissue for 5 to 10 seconds, which, in flip, assist the tight muscle chill out and stretch.
For instance, for those who had 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 tissue in your shoulders and higher again to push towards the drive. After contracting for as much as 10 seconds, chill out your arm, and chances are you’ll discover extra vary of movement within the preliminary chest stretch.
Throughout this system, the muscle tissue 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 might be doable to stretch by yourself with props, relying on what muscle you’re focusing on.
When Ought to I Do PNF Stretching?
“There is no such thing as 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 may 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, make sure 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 improve in vary of movement extra rapidly than passive or static approaches,” Snideman says.
In a examine 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 contemplate PNF the “best stretching method” for rising vary of movement.
Precautions When Working towards PNF Stretching
To be secure, solely do PNF stretching with knowledgeable, reminiscent of a private coach or bodily therapist educated within the observe. Inform them about any accidents or strains, as contracting injured muscle tissue or tendons could worsen issues, Snideman cautions.
This additionally applies for those who’ve had current surgical procedures, as stretching the affected muscle tissue could impair restoration. As soon as you recognize the methods, you might be able to do some PNF stretching by yourself.