Stretching is an integral a part of any exercise routine. Larger flexibility permits us to change into extra immune to damage whereas gaining energy, however most individuals solely find out 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 groups extra pliable.
- Dynamic: Motion-based actions (e.g., trunk twists, excessive knees) to prime the physique for motion.
However there’s one other technique to enhance flexibility and vary of movement referred to as PNF stretching. Should 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 acquainted with this follow.
Whether or not you’re a novice or steadily have another person stretch you, right here’s what that you must find out 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 lively 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 technique 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 groups,” explains Chris Gagliardi, scientific schooling content material supervisor for the American Council on Train. Most frequently, this stretching is finished with a skilled associate.
Nevertheless, 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 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 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.ok.a. push towards a drive with out shifting the muscle) for 5 to 10 seconds.
- After a quick rest, you’ll discover that you may stretch the muscle a bit deeper.
For instance, for those who had been to stretch your hamstring, you’d lie in your again and carry your leg up as excessive as it may go whereas retaining it straight. Then, push towards an opposing drive — like a associate, strap, or wall — as for those who 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 it’s best to have the ability to carry it increased than you probably did beforehand.
“This method works by what known as ‘post-isometric rest,’” Snideman explains, “which signifies that a muscle has a quick 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 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 associate or with props like a strap or a wall.
Oblique strategies
Oblique strategies use antagonist, or opposing, physique components to stretch a good muscle. “This method is perhaps 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, relatively than contracting that muscle, you isometrically contract different opposing muscle groups for 5 to 10 seconds, which, in flip, assist the tight muscle calm down and stretch.
For instance, for those who had 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 may with out ache. From that time, brace your arm towards a associate 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, calm down your arm, and chances are you’ll discover extra vary of movement within the preliminary chest stretch.
Throughout this system, the muscle groups 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 associate, 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 any such 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 skilled when the muscle is heat, Gagliardi provides.
Additionally, earlier than train, be sure you do some dynamic stretching after PNF stretching. In any other case, research present you might have much less vertical soar 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 research printed 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 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 contemplate PNF the “simplest stretching approach” for rising vary of movement.
Precautions When Training PNF Stretching
To be secure, solely do PNF stretching with knowledgeable, akin to a private coach or bodily therapist skilled within the follow. Inform them about any accidents or strains, as contracting injured muscle groups or tendons could worsen issues, Snideman cautions.
This additionally applies for those who’ve had current surgical procedures, as stretching the affected muscle groups could impair restoration. As soon as you already know the strategies, you might be able to do some PNF stretching by yourself.
