alta logo new 
In This Issue
The perils of stretching
Why we still give stretching exercises

  

ALTA NEWS

 

stretch
 
     

That is the question. Are you a stretcher? Why or why not? Let us know what you think. Like us on Facebook and respond with your thoughts on our Facebook page and we will enter you in a drawing to win two free private Pilates sessions!

(If you have already liked us on Facebook, thank you - just comment - stretching pro or con - and you will be entered in the drawing.) Drawing will be held Friday August 3rd and winner posted on Facebook.

 

Facebook Fan Page 

 

 red dashed line

  

CONGRATULATIONS

to

Kristen Fryburg-Zaitz

on her

1st Place Finish

at the

West End 3K last week!!

 

Kristen
photo by Jeremy Papasso

kristen stretch  

 

red dashed line   

 

hand tdn   

Russ Overy, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT decided he needed a few more letters after his name, so he became certified as a 

LEVEL II Trigger Point DryNeedling practitioner

Russ loves having TDN as an additional tool to help his patients. To schedule an appt. with Russ, call 303-444-8707 ext. 100.  

  

  red dashed line

 

Nicole run   

Nicole Haas, PT, DPT, OCS recently taught a running analysis lecture/lab for 3rd year PT students at CU. The class covered running styles, video running analysis, screens for runners, and live run analysis on the treadmill.

  

 red dashed line

 

 Stay Tuned -

Free Running Screens coming to ALTA!! 

Join Our List

Join Our Mailing List

July 2012

Greetings!

 

The perils of stretching

 

We humans have an inclination that, if we hear something over and over, it must be true. And we have heard for years that stretching prevents injuries and improves performance. So we continue to lower our heels over a step to stretch our calves, or try for the thousandth time to reach our toes before a run. Stand at the start line of the Bolder Boulder and you will witness at least half the racers doing some last minute hamstring stretches. But that hamstring stretch might just cost them the race. 


hamstring

Flexibility is overrated, and it can slow you down. That's right, up to a point, tighter is faster. The runners with the tightest hamstrings tend to be the most efficient and the fastest. That's because tighter muscles have greater elastic energy storage than loose, limp muscles.

 

A 2010 study of ten collegiate male athletes showed that static stretching before a one hour run caused a significant decline in performance. Other studies corroborate this point. Stretching before exercise decreases muscle strength by as much as 30%. Why? Because our brains are wired to protect us, when we perform a sustained stretch the nervous system goes into protective mode and inhibits the stretched muscle to keep it from tearing.

 

So if stretching does not improve performance, at least it will keep you from being injured, right? Wrong. At least not in the way we usually stretch.

 

  dynamic1

 

  

 

 

 

  

 Why we  still give stretching exercises

 

Okay, stretching may not be the panacea we once thought, but there is still a place for stretching in physical therapy treatment and in daily life. Here's why:

 

Reason #1: Stretching helps you maintain the motion you gained from your PT session. For example, a professional ballet dancer came for treatment after struggling for 6 months with achilles tendonitis. Her PT in Utah had given her stretches, and she had done them faithfully for months with minor changes. We did a combination of therapy: we mobilized the spine and viscera, needled the calves, and gave her a talar strap for home use. The tendinitis was substantially better in 3 VISITS. Is she going to keep stretching gently to maintain her new motion? You bet. Would stretching by itself for another six months have fixed this problem? Probably not.

   sarah

Reason #2: Stretching can be a really specific and useful way to retrain muscles. An important goal of stretching is to improve mobility around joints. As PTs we look at why you are tight and address the underlying cause. Then, you need to use your muscles and joints through the new available range. For example, if I mobilize your shoulder joint, that shoulder needs to learn how to move into a new range, so you don't lose any motion we've gained. Stretching the tight muscle and strengthening the opposing muscle can be just the ticket to hold the gains.

 

Reason #3: It feels good. If you are doing a full body workout, such as Yoga or Pilates, the stretches can be a great way to release tension and improve your overall well being. Here's the link to 6 Yoga stretches to release tension: http://the99percent.com/tips/6999/6-Simple-Yoga-Stretches-for-Daily-De-Stressing

 

If you are tight, find out why - that's the job for your PT. Sure, genetics can play a role, but beyond that, there might be a nerve impingement, a restricted blood supply, or a postural component to your tightness. When you find out why you are tight, getting looser can be a walk in the park.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

alta logo new

 

ALTA Physical Therapy & Pilates

2955 Baseline Road 

Boulder, CO  80303

303-444-8707

  

www.AltaTherapies.com