Stretching to Help Arthritis
As a qualified sports scientist I have done research on how to prevent and reduce the effects of arthritis.
Arthritis is a disease which involves inflammation or wearing down of the tendons of the joints.
The main cause for this condition is general wear and tear throughout a person's life but I can be caused also by long term weight training, long hours on the piano or keyboard and from putting direct pressure on joints such as not bending the knees when you jump.
Stretching is a good and easy way to help prevent arthritis or to prevent it totally.
The reason why this method is so useful is because in muscle tissue there are muscle spindles which send messages to the brain about the length of the muscle and pain sensations.
There are 3 types of stretches, ballistic, static and proprioceptive stretching.
Ballistic stretches are where the limb is stretched whilst moving, many ballet dances perform these stretches.
Ballistic stretches have been recently deemed as potentially harmful as they can actually damage muscle fibres.
Static stretches are where you the limb is held in a stretched position for a prolonged period of time.
Proprioceptive stretches are usually performed by a partner, it involves your partner pushing you into a stretch each time going further until full joint motion is attained.
This technique is the most effective because you will find that each time you hold a stretch it can go further each time without pain.
From personal experience one can perform the splits by about the 5th time.
Also eccentric muscle contractions relieve pain and improve joint mobility.
A eccentric contraction is when a muscle is contracting but stretching at the same time e:g when you are in the downward phase of your motion such as lowering a weight.
Research suggests that this type of contraction allows more weight to be lifted and literally breaks knotted and fibrous tissue.
As massage therapist I first warm the muscles up by deep tissue strokes then stretch the patients limb for 3 times for a duration of30 seconds each time pushing further.
Results are quite dramatic as a patient can attain full range of joint motion by the third stretch.
Then I finish by doing eccentric contractions, with me supplying the force, by doing this a few times patients sore muscles and knots have totally vanished.
Thus enabling increased range of motion and strength.
Always make sure you warm your muscles up before stretching, allow 3 minutes so the entire muscle or muscle group is warm then hold the stretch position for at least a minute to allow the muscle to adapt to the stretch.
You will find that the muscle has an increased length when warm allowing greater results.
Muscle tissue responds very quickly to stretching exercises with results usually being seen by 2 weeks.
Arthritis is a disease which involves inflammation or wearing down of the tendons of the joints.
The main cause for this condition is general wear and tear throughout a person's life but I can be caused also by long term weight training, long hours on the piano or keyboard and from putting direct pressure on joints such as not bending the knees when you jump.
Stretching is a good and easy way to help prevent arthritis or to prevent it totally.
The reason why this method is so useful is because in muscle tissue there are muscle spindles which send messages to the brain about the length of the muscle and pain sensations.
There are 3 types of stretches, ballistic, static and proprioceptive stretching.
Ballistic stretches are where the limb is stretched whilst moving, many ballet dances perform these stretches.
Ballistic stretches have been recently deemed as potentially harmful as they can actually damage muscle fibres.
Static stretches are where you the limb is held in a stretched position for a prolonged period of time.
Proprioceptive stretches are usually performed by a partner, it involves your partner pushing you into a stretch each time going further until full joint motion is attained.
This technique is the most effective because you will find that each time you hold a stretch it can go further each time without pain.
From personal experience one can perform the splits by about the 5th time.
Also eccentric muscle contractions relieve pain and improve joint mobility.
A eccentric contraction is when a muscle is contracting but stretching at the same time e:g when you are in the downward phase of your motion such as lowering a weight.
Research suggests that this type of contraction allows more weight to be lifted and literally breaks knotted and fibrous tissue.
As massage therapist I first warm the muscles up by deep tissue strokes then stretch the patients limb for 3 times for a duration of30 seconds each time pushing further.
Results are quite dramatic as a patient can attain full range of joint motion by the third stretch.
Then I finish by doing eccentric contractions, with me supplying the force, by doing this a few times patients sore muscles and knots have totally vanished.
Thus enabling increased range of motion and strength.
Always make sure you warm your muscles up before stretching, allow 3 minutes so the entire muscle or muscle group is warm then hold the stretch position for at least a minute to allow the muscle to adapt to the stretch.
You will find that the muscle has an increased length when warm allowing greater results.
Muscle tissue responds very quickly to stretching exercises with results usually being seen by 2 weeks.
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