The lastest NYTIMES Well Blog Post was about How Necessary is Stretching.
There’s a definite difference between Stretching & Mobility(Flexibility) Training.
- Stretching is usually a static and isolated.
- Mobility training requires active, dynamic and static states depending upon the exercise.
- Stretching is often measured is Range of Motion only.
- Mobility training measures the ability of a person to stabilize one muscle (or group) while lengthening another.
- Stretching is often taught to be done bilaterally with the goal of obtain “normal” extension of muscles as measured by some standard.
- Mobility training is taught a series of progressions from simple to complex with the goal of understanding asymmetrical patterns and compensation so as to improve movement not simply range of motion.
- Stretching has traditionally been taught in isolation and not as part of a larger training program that includes:
– Balance, Core, Strength, Endurance and other elements
- Mobility training is primary to a logical progression in movement. It is the beginning but not end of a systematic progression in movement that incorporates each modality both within the context of the mobility training itself as well as part of a complete training program. Mobility is a part of every movement just like balance and “core strength”.
Range of Motion vs Control
As the article correctly points out some people do not need to extend their range of motion any further but rather they need to work on controlling their range of motion. People who are very flexible can extend their soft tissue beyond the range of their muscles abilities to control their movement: Example: Hyper-extended Elbows or Knees. A joint in this position is weak and the muscles are unable to transfer forces effectively and efficiently putting the joint at risk of injury. In contrast, someone who may be less flexible can maintain the optimal range of motion of the same joint putting little or no stress on the structure of the joint itself and thus enabling the person to avoid injuries.
In the real world, trainers see the negative side of hyper mobility all the time. In particular, there is very serious concern at the exponential rise in injury rates to young girls participating in contact sports like Soccer, Basketball as well as Lacrosse among others. Injuries to the ankle, knee and spine are unfortunately too common. There’s now a real effort being made to train young women athletes differently from males to help them establish better movement and control of their joints.
Finally, as you can see there’s a lot to be learned about Mobility training vs Stretching. There’s a place for Stretching within the context of a well thought out training program that incorporates a full range of modalities. The days of simply sitting on the floor and leaning forward to grab your toes are thankful over.
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