Is PNF Stretching the Most Efficient Strategy to Enhance Mobility?

Stretching is an integral a part of any exercise routine. Higher flexibility allows us to turn out to be extra proof against harm whereas gaining energy, 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 rigidity 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 solution 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 stylish stretching studios, you might already be accustomed to this follow.

Whether or not you’re a novice or steadily have another person stretch you, right here’s what it’s good to learn about PNF stretching.

What Is PNF Stretching?

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, or PNF stretching, includes stretching a muscle to its restrict after which contracting that muscle or a surrounding muscle to permit for a deeper stretch — much like energetic stretching. The aim of the follow is to unlock higher ranges of movement and enhance flexibility.

Bodily therapists developed PNF within the Forties as a solution 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, energy, and coordination to injured muscle tissues,” explains Chris Gagliardi, scientific schooling content material supervisor for the American Council on Train. Most frequently, this stretching is finished with a skilled companion.

Nonetheless, anybody who needs to enhance mobility can profit from PNF strategies. “It’s a remedy methodology and philosophy that makes use of the facility 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 know 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 methodology 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 power with out shifting the muscle) for 5 to 10 seconds.
• After a quick leisure, you’ll discover that you may stretch the muscle a bit deeper.

For instance, for those who have been to stretch your hamstring, you’d lie in your again and carry your leg up as excessive as it may possibly go whereas maintaining it straight. Then, push towards an opposing power — like a companion, strap, or wall — as for those who have 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 it is best to have the ability to carry it larger than you probably did beforehand.

“This method works by what known as ‘post-isometric leisure,’” Snideman explains, “which signifies 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 rigidity, permitting it to elongate. Put merely, the muscle relaxes itself when it experiences an excessive amount of rigidity.

You possibly can 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 method 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, fairly 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, for those who have been to stretch your chest, you’d carry 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 towards a companion or a wall behind you and contract the muscle tissues in your shoulders and higher again to push towards 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 often carried out with a companion, however it might be potential 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 one of these stretching is used previous to exercise, it may possibly 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 skilled when the muscle is heat, Gagliardi provides.

Additionally, earlier than train, you should definitely do some dynamic stretching after PNF stretching. In any other case, research present you could have much less vertical bounce peak or energy throughout your exercise.

What Are the Advantages of PNF Stretching?

“PNF-type stretching usually produces a higher enhance in vary of movement extra rapidly than passive or static approaches,” Snideman says.

In a examine revealed in Biology of Sport in 2016, researchers divided 40 school 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 think about PNF the “only stretching method” for growing vary of movement.

Precautions When Working towards PNF Stretching

To be secure, solely do PNF stretching with an expert, reminiscent of a private coach or bodily therapist skilled within the follow. Inform them about any accidents or strains, as contracting injured muscle tissues or tendons could worsen issues, Snideman cautions.

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