Is PNF Stretching the Most Efficient Strategy to Enhance Mobility?

Stretching is an integral a part of any exercise routine. Larger flexibility permits us to develop into extra proof against 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 (assume toe-touches) to launch pressure and make muscle tissues 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. When you’ve ever labored out with a private coach who stretched you post-workout or visited one of many fashionable stretching studios, you might already be conversant in this follow.

Whether or not you’re a novice or steadily have another person stretch you, right here’s what it is advisable 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 purpose of the follow is to unlock larger ranges of movement and enhance flexibility.

Bodily therapists developed PNF within the Nineteen Forties as a approach 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 tissues,” 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 desires to enhance mobility can profit from PNF strategies. “It’s a remedy 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 various 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 tissues/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 power offered by the muscle being stretched, whereas oblique strategies use power offered by muscle tissues that oppose the one being stretched.

Direct strategies

Direct strategies are used for tight muscle tissues that aren’t painful or harmful to stretch. A typical 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 in opposition to a power with out transferring the muscle) for 5 to 10 seconds.
• After a short rest, you’ll discover that you could stretch the muscle a bit deeper.

For instance, when you had been to stretch your hamstring, you’d lie in your again and elevate your leg up as excessive as it could go whereas protecting it straight. Then, push in opposition to an opposing power — like a accomplice, strap, or wall — as when you had been going to decrease your leg again down, however ensure that your leg doesn’t transfer. After contracting for as much as 10 seconds, calm down your leg, and you must have the ability to elevate it larger than you probably did beforehand.

“This system works by what is known as ‘post-isometric rest,’” Snideman explains, “which implies that a muscle has a short interval of rest after isometric contraction.”

This rest 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 pressure, permitting it to elongate. Put merely, the muscle relaxes itself when it experiences an excessive amount of pressure.

You may 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 elements to stretch a decent muscle. “This system may 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 tissues for 5 to 10 seconds, which, in flip, assist the tight muscle calm down and stretch.

For instance, when you had 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 possibly can with out ache. From that time, brace your arm in opposition to a accomplice or a wall behind you and contract the muscle tissues in your shoulders and higher again to push in opposition to the power. After contracting for as much as 10 seconds, calm down your arm, and you might discover extra vary of movement within the preliminary chest stretch.

Throughout this system, the muscle tissues interact in reciprocal inhibition. Whereas one muscle is contracting, inhibitory alerts trigger the opposing muscle to calm down.

Oblique PNF stretching is usually carried out with a accomplice, however it could be potential 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 this kind of 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 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, you’ll want to do some dynamic stretching after PNF stretching. In any other case, research present you’ll have much less vertical soar top or energy throughout your exercise.

What Are the Advantages of PNF Stretching?

“PNF-type stretching typically 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 school 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 elevate (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 take into account PNF the “simplest stretching approach” for rising vary of movement.

Precautions When Practising PNF Stretching

To be secure, solely do PNF stretching with knowledgeable, resembling a private coach or bodily therapist educated within the follow. Inform them about any accidents or strains, as contracting injured muscle tissues or tendons might worsen issues, Snideman cautions.

This additionally applies when you’ve had current surgical procedures, as stretching the affected muscle tissues might impair restoration. As soon as you already know the strategies, you might be able to do some PNF stretching by yourself.