Hi and welcome to this week’s Stretch-of-the-Week. This week the sport we will be focusing on is cricket. Now there are a few different positions in cricket which use completely different muscles of the body but today we are mainly going to focus on the muscle involved when bowling. The bowler exerts a lot of stress on the back when bowling, mainly hypertension, lateral flexion and thoraco-lumbar rotation. However the shoulder, mainly the rotator cuff, is also heavily relied on and will be the specific muscle we will focus on today. The rotator cuff is comprised of four muscles originating from the scapular and inserting into the humerus at different points. They are used to stabilize the humerus in the glenoid fossa of the scapula during movement. Restrict on full range of movement is usually due to hypertrophy and hypertonicity.

Starting off with the standing back rotation stretch to loosen up the obliques will reduce the possibility of injury due to stress and strain during bowling. The back is often overlooked in many stretching regimes and to do this stretch correctly your hips must stay pointing in one direction whilst the upper half of your body rotates. Try to not bounce yourself around and if you are having issues you can ask a friend to twist your body for you

Moving on to your arms and rotator cuffs this stretch targets the muscles in the shoulder rotator cuff. It may look complicated or even painful but with the help of your cricket bat this stretch is perfect for bowlers. You do not have to wrap your whole hand around the end of the stick/cricket bat, just your thumb and index finger. Focus your stretching on the shoulder, if you are feeling the stretch through your wrist loosen your grip a little or try some wrist stretches.

This stretch will focus on the rest of your shoulder not just the rotator cuff. It is important when stretching to remember that all muscle overlap therefore you cannot just stretch the muscle relating to the rotator cuff without thinking about the rest of the shoulder. If you do this stretch correctly it should help you with your power and flexibility through your shoulder and reduce the possibility of injury. Make sure your feet are shoulder width apart and that you rotator the entire upper half of your body from the hips. If you can get your fingers to point the complete other direction it will deepen the stretch further.

The Subscapularis is the main muscle associated with the shoulders rotator cuff and therefore a PNF stretch of this muscle would be extremely beneficial. Specifically it will improve the external rotation of the humerus. The stretcher lays down on their back and bends one arm up at right angles from their body as far as possible whilst still being comfortable. This will lengthen the subscapularis to its pain-free end of range. The partner places their hands on the stretches elbow and wrist for support. The stretcher slowly attempts to rotate their humerus internally and therefore contract the subscapularis isometrically (push your wrist towards the ceiling). The stretcher should then relax and inhale deeply. On the exhale the stretcher should attempt to push their wrist towards the floor, deepening the stretch.

Obviously we could not include every stretch required for this sport instead this blog will aimed to cover the main stretches used and maybe a few you may not have thought of previously. Please remember to follow the safe stretching tips we have given you in the previous blog as well as the individual safety tips for static and PNF stretching.

Hi and welcome to this week’s stretch-of-the-week. During the past three weeks we have focused on running, swimming and cycling so it’s only natural that this week we discuss triathlons. It is an extreme athletic competition comprised of all three of the previous sports and it would be beneficial for triathletes to read over the previous blogs and add those stretches into their routines, if not already involved, as well as a few more being discussed today. Although the entire body in involved as you can probably tell from the previous weeks, the legs however take most of the strain during races as is the main focus of todays blog.

Hamstrings is a muscle group that we have previously discussed and can severely restrict the stride length when running. That would create more work for the athlete to cover a certain distance and in a long endurance race that is already tough on the body it is important to be as flexible and strong as possible. Hamstrings also help with the flexion at the knee and medial rotation of the lower leg and it is important to adequate stretch the entire leg before competition.

This stretch flexes the glutes and hip abductor and if used with the sitting feet together adductor stretch from last week’s cycling blog creates a comprehensive hip adductor and hamstring stretching routine. Just remember for both of them to keep your back straight for optimal stretching ability.

This stretch continues the stretch down the leg and if work in conjunction with Standing leg-up hamstring stretch from the 79th blog will affective stretch the upper leg. It is important in the stretch to not lean on the opposite leg that isn’t being stretched, instead face forward.

This stretch focuses on the latissimuis dorsi as well as the triceps and deltiod which are important for swimming. It would also be beneficial to look over the back and oblique stretches in blog 80 to create a comprehensive stretching regime for the upper body.

Correct functioning of the evertors and invertors of the foot is vital for proper biomechanics of the foot and ankle. They stabilise the lower leg and often act to control movement rather than initiate it. During this stretch the stretcher lies supine and turns the sole of his foot towards the midline by contracting the invertors. The partner should grasp the lower leg for stabilisation and hold the foot with their other hand whilst the stretch attempts to straighten their foot. After this push the stretcher should breathe in deeply and on exhaling contract the peroneals to increase the eversion and deepen the stretch.

This stretch has a number of muscles that are contributing called evertors and invertors. The evertors are the three peroneal muscles: the peroneus longus, peroneus brevis and the peroneus tertius. The invertors of the foot are tibialis anterior and posterior which were discussed in last week's Stretch-of-the-Week.

Obviously we could not include every stretch required for this sport instead this blog will aimed to cover the main stretches used and maybe a few you may not have thought of previously. Please remember to follow the safe stretching tips we have given you in the previous blog as well as the individual safety tips for static and PNF stretching.

Hi and welcome to this week’s stretch of the week. This we we’ll be focusing on cycling and if are looking to improve in cycling or just give it a go without injuring yourself there are a few stretches that can start you on your way. Cycling is a good balance of strength, speed and endurance and the main muscle we will be looking at today are through the legs, starting from the hips down to the calves. The quadriceps have been previously discussed in stretch-of-the-week #79, however a muscle important in cycling but often forgotten in the tibialis anterior. It assists in dorsiflexion of the foot and balance when walking or running. The dorsiflexion of the foot should be approximately 20 degrees and if your range of motion is limited stretching maybe beneficial.

The leaning heel back calf stretch focuses on the Tibialis posterior and a gastrocnemius. Make sure your arms are about shoulder width apart and that you heel remains on the ground. It is also important to make sure that your toes are both facing forwards to gain the most out of the stretch.

This stretch will focus on the hamstrings as well as some muscles through the back which are important for balance on a bike. It is important to make sure the leg being stretched is straight and completely on the ground and that you reach forward with both hands, not just one.

To do this stretch stay on the ground and put the sole of your feet together and bring them as close to your groin as comfortable. Maintain a straight back throughout this stretch for optimal stretching and do not bounce your legs downwards.

The final stretch we recommend for cyclists is the Tibialis anterior. The stretcher lies supine and points their toes using their calf muscle; this lengthens the tibialis anterior to its end of range. Cup the right heel with your left hand and hold the top of the foot and the stretcher should slowly attempt to pull their foot back towards their knee. The isometric pull through the tibialis anterior is followed by relaxation and deep breathing. On an exhale the stretcher should contract their calf muscle and increase their plantarflexion (deepening the tibialis stretch).

Obviously we could not include every stretch required for this sport instead this blog will aimed to cover the main stretches used and maybe a few you may not have thought of previously. Please remember to follow the safe stretching tips we have given you in the previous blog as well as the individual safety tips for static and PNF stretching.

Hi and welcome to this week’s stretch-of-the-week. This week we are continuing with the sports with Swimming. Living in Australia, being surrounded by water swimming is a large aspect of our lives. Swimming is a highly active sport that involved the entire body and it is important to stretch the main muscle groups before training. Swimming is an aerobic sport and muscle need to constantly be supplied with oxygen and we all know when improves oxygen supply and circulation…stretching regularly.

There are a number of major muscle groups involved with swimming, these include abdominals, biceps and triceps, gluteals, hamstrings and quadriceps. Obviously there is no way we can provide you with stretches for each of these muscle group but we have provided four to get you started that you may not have thought of.

These two stretches go hand in hand with each other and affectively stretch the calves and Achilles. For both you need to stand on a step or raised object and let your heel drop towards the ground. The only difference is to stretch your Achilles you slightly bend your knee of the stretching leg.

This stretch targets the back and rotators through the trunk of your body and is important to remember for good rotation and reach through the water. To do this stretch make sure your feet are shoulder width apart and when you rotate your hips stay as still as possible to get the best stretch.

This stretch affects the biceps and deltoid muscle which are important especially if doing butterfly. It also opens out your chest and can help with chest expansion and breathing. To do this stretch hold your hand together behind you back and try to raise them. If you feel any pain please stop immediately.

The triceps are involved in the flexion at the shoulder and bend at the elbow which is important for an efficient freestyle stroke. To do this stretch the stretcher should be prone with their head turned to the side. They need to flex their shoulder and elbow so their hand is as close to their scapula that is comfortable and pain free. Make sure to keep their arm close to their ear for the optimal stretching starting position. The partner should place their hand on the posterior of the stretchers elbow (underneath it) and the stretcher should begin to push against the partners hand. After this push the stretcher then relaxes and inhales deeply. On the exhale the stretcher should reach further down their back, remembering to keep their arm close to their ear.

Obviously we could not include every stretch required for this sport instead this blog will aimed to cover the main stretches used and maybe a few you may not have thought of previously. Please remember to follow the safe stretching tips we have given you in the previous blog as well as the individual safety tips for static and PNF stretching.

Hi and welcome to the new stretch-of-the-week. This blog forevermore will be different to what you have come to expect, instead of focusing on specific muscles and stretches each week we will focus on individual sports and stretches that directly relate to them. The first week is running, a very simple sport that I’m sure everyone has done but did you stretch beforehand?

Running uses most of the muscles in the body but for obvious reasons today we will focus on the muscle groups in the legs. The quadriceps are powerful extensors of the knee, the extent to which a person extends their knee to take a stride depends on the person but no matter who you are the four muscle that make up the quadriceps need to be stretched affectively before running. However if a person’s walking or running stride is shorter this is usual due to shortening of the hamstrings. Finally the lower half of the leg affects knee flexion and plantaflexion and if not stretched properly can cause calf tightness.

The standing leg-up hamstring stretch directly stretches the hamstrings and can be done with ease in home or outside. To do this stretch find a park bench or a structure about 30-40cm off the ground and put one leg on this object. Point your toes straight up and maintain a straight leg. Then slowly lean forward, bending at the hips, to attempt to touch your toes.

The kneeling heel-down Achilles stretch will lengthen out the soleus which is known as the powerhouse through you lower leg. To do this stretch kneel on one foot and rest your body on your leg. Make sure your back leg is at 90 degrees to start with. Then slowly lean forward whilst keeping your heel on the ground.

The kneeling quad stretch aims to lengthen out the four quadricep muscles as well as stretching some hip flexors. Stand kneeling from the last stretch and widen your stance a little future. Simply push forward with your hips and you should feel the stretch down the front of your leg.

A PNF stretch that will be affective for a runner will be the Quadratus Lumborum. This muscle is involved in lateral flexion of the truck and balance, required when running. The PNF stretch is a great pain free way to stretch the vertical fibers of the muscle which make up the bulk of this muscle.

To do this stretch the stretcher is lying on their left side with their right leg hyperextended off the edge of a table. Make sure their hips remain stacked vertically on top of each other and reach their right hand over their head. The partner stands behind the stretcher and crosses their hands so their left hand is against the stretchers hip and their right hand is spread wide across the rib cage. The stretcher needs to then bring their hip and ribs towards each other, this may need to be broken into separate movements before the stretcher can move them at the same time. Once they have the hang of it the stretcher should begin slowly and try to bring the top of their hip and their rib cage together as the partner provides matching resistance. The stretcher should then relax and inhale deeply. On the exhale the stretcher should try and push their foot towards the floor to deepen the stretch.

Obviously we could not include every stretch required for this sport instead this blog will aimed to cover the main stretches used and maybe a few you may not have thought of previously. Please remember to follow the safe stretching tips we have given you in the previous blog as well as the individual safety tips for static and PNF stretching.

Hi and welcome to this week’s stretch of the week, the first of the New Year. This year’s stretching is going to be a little different. Previously we have discussed individual static stretches and PNF stretches in relation to individual and grouped muscles, now it’s time to put them together to create dynamic stretching regimes for individual sports/exercise. These blogs, starting next week, will include both static stretches and PNF stretches that will work in harmony to affectively stretch specific muscles used in each sport. Obviously we cannot include every stretch required for a specific sport instead this blog will aim to cover the main stretches used and maybe a few you may not have thought of previously.

Stretching stimulates local circulation which increases the blood streams ability to remove metabolic waste and deliver oxygen and nutrition to the muscles. This helps keep your muscles and soft tissues supple and healthy which in turn helps you do the things you do all day, every day and live a happier, healthier, easier life.

As we know PNF stands for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and is a complex and highly effect physical therapy technique. It’s a method of using isometric contractions prior to the stretch to achieve a greater result and is generally done passively or with the help of a partner. Facilitated stretching can dramatically increase muscle flexibility quickly primarily because of the use of several built-in neurological mechanisms to optimize the muscles own lengthening ability.

There are a few important safety tips when doing both simple stretches and PNF stretching.

·         Use a wide stance to maintain balance and stability.

·         Keep spine lengthened.

·         Avoid unnecessary twisting or bending whilst stretching.

·         STOP immediately if there is pain.

·         An effective stretch session will involve completing each stretch about 3 times.

·         Never stretch an injury, or damaged muscles, tendons, etc.

·         Warm-up prior to stretching.

·         Stretch before and after exercise or heavy physical activity.

·         Breathe slowly and easily during the stretches.

·         Stretch only to the point of tension - never 'bounce' or apply ballistic aspects to your stretches.

·         Stretch all major muscles, and their opposing muscles, gently and slowly.

Here at hands from heaven why try to provide you with as much information as possible but of course if you have any further suggestion on stretching for a particular sport please comment and don’t be shy. Also if you have any questions about stretching please don’t hesitate to ask, we endeavor to answer all of your questions to help keep you in the best possible health. Let us know if you have specific sport you are interested in that we haven’t covered and we’d be only too happy to create a blog about it for you. Have a wonderful 2012 and happy stretching.

HI and welcome to the final week of PNF stretches and the final stretch-of-the-week for the year. Our last stretch is focusing on the latissimus dorsi muscles which help with extension and flexion of the arm and shoulder. It forms part of the posterior axillary border and is used in many activities in which the arm moves from overhead downwards such as swimming and rock climbing. This particular stretch mimics the 'lat pull down' action used to strengthen the lats and increase the range of motion in flexion and external rotation of the humerus.

To do this stertch the stretcher is prone with their arms outstretched and externally rotated, like in a diving position. This is the lats end of range position. The partner grasps the stretchers wrists and directs the stretcher to pull against the partner internally rotating their arms and engaging the lats bilaterally. After this isometric pull the stretcher should relax and breathe in deeply. On the exhale the stretcher should attempt to reach further forward and rotate their arms more laterally in order to deepen the stretch.

Always remember that while stretching may be recommended to aid recovery out of injury, you should always be very careful when stretching through rehabilitation.  Your soft tissues are likely to be more vulnerable to re-injury if you stretch too much or too hard during this time.  Always check with your Health Care Professional who is guiding you through your recovery to make sure it is appropriate to start stretching, and please - ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES FOR SAFE STRETCHING (blog #50).

Information obtained from McAtee, R. & Charland, J. (1993) Facilitated Stretching
Image from http://anatomy.askthetrainer.com/latissimus-dorsi-muscle.html

Hi and welcome to this week's stretch-of-the-week. This week we continue with muscles of the back with the quadratus lumborum originating at the iliac crest of the pelvis and reaching to the 12th rib and transverse processes L1-L5.  The quadratus lumborum is always involved in lower back pain which can lead to disk problems and misalignment of the lumbar vertebrae. It has fibres that run vertically and in two diagonals however this particular stretch utilises the vertical fibres primarily, which does make up the bulk of the muscle. To gain the most benefit out of this stretch I suggest you do a few hip abductor stretches first.

To do this stretch the stretcher is lying on their left side with their right leg hyperextended off the edge of a table. Make sure their hips remain stacked vertically on top of each other and reach their right hand over their head. The partner stands behind the stretcher and crosses their hands so their left hand is against the stretchers hip and their right hand is spread wide across the rib cage. The stretcher needs to then bring their hip and ribs towards each other, this may need to be broken into seperate movements before the stretcher can move them at the same time. Once they have the hang of it the stretcher should begin slowly and try to bring the top of their hip and their rib cage together as the partner provides matching resistance. The stretcher should then relax and inhale deeply. On the exhale the stretcher should try and push their foot towards the floor to deepen the stretch.

Always remember that while stretching may be recommended to aid recovery out of injury, you should always be very careful when stretching through rehabilitation.  Your soft tissues are likely to be more vulnerable to re-injury if you stretch too much or too hard during this time.  Always check with your Health Care Professional who is guiding you through your recovery to make sure it is appropriate to start stretching, and please - ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES FOR SAFE STRETCHING (blog #50).

Information obtained from McAtee, R. & Charland, J. (1993) Facilitated Stretching
Image from www.exrx.com

Hi and Welcome to this week's Stretch-of-the-Week. This weeks topic is the rhomboid muscles, both the minor and major rhomboid muscles are stretched simulaneously providing relief to tenderness. The rhomboids are commonly overstretched in people with rounded shoulders, this is due to the pectoralis muscles pulling on the the shoulders forcing them forward. If you suffer from this condition stretching the pectoralis muscles in conjunction with strengthening the rhomboids can help treat the condition. But people who experience pain due to trauma, job-related injury or postural stress should remember the importance of stretch in the pain-free zone at all times.

To do this stretch the stretcher lies supine with their arm flex at the elbow and their humerous brought across their chest as far as possible. the partner should place one hand on the stretchers elbow and reach under their back with the other hand to have a firm hold on their back. the stretcher should slowly try and pull their scapula towards their spine as the partner provides matching resistance and ensure the stretcher breathes normally throughout the stretch. The stretcher should then relax and inhale deeply and on the exhale the stretcher should pull their arm across their chest further and increase the rhomboid stretch.

Always remember that while stretching may be recommended to aid recovery out of injury, you should always be very careful when stretching through rehabilitation.  Your soft tissues are likely to be more vulnerable to re-injury if you stretch too much or too hard during this time.  Always check with your Health Care Professional who is guiding you through your recovery to make sure it is appropriate to start stretching, and please - ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES FOR SAFE STRETCHING (blog #50).
Information obtained from McAtee, R. & Charland, J. (1993) Facilitated Stretching
Images from nicktumminello.com

Hi and welcome to this weeks Stretch-of-the-Week. This week we'll be discussing the levator scapula muscle and a comprehensive stretch designed to release stiffness through the neck. The levator scapula muscle starts at the transverse processes of C1-C4 and extends to the scapula, it is responsible in extension of the neck and shoulder shrugs. This muscle is often the source of neck stiffness especially when rotating the head to its limit and postural stress can cause this particular muscle to become hypertonic. It is important to remember that stretching any neck muscle can provide relief from tightness and pain but can also cause pain if done too aggressively. This stretch however is designed to improve head and neck flexion and is done in a safe and pain free manner.

To do this stretch the stretcher lies face up. The partner stands at the head of the stretcher and places their left hand on the stretchers shoulder and thier right hand under their head, helping them to flex thier head and neck so their chin is touching their chest. From this position rotate the head 45 degrees to the right to fully lengthen the muscle, this is your staring point. From this position direct the stretcher to slowly push their head and neck back towards the corner of the table, remembering to breathe normally, as the partner provides matching resistance. After this the stretcher relaxes and inhales deeply. On the exhale the stretcher should try to flex their head and neck to bring their chin closer to their chest.

Always remember that while stretching may be recommended to aid recovery out of injury, you should always be very careful when stretching through rehabilitation.  Your soft tissues are likely to be more vulnerable to re-injury if you stretch too much or too hard during this time.  Always check with your Health Care Professional who is guiding you through your recovery to make sure it is appropriate to start stretching, and please - ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES FOR SAFE STRETCHING (blog #50).
Information obtained from McAtee, R. & Charland, J. (1993) Facilitated Stretching
Images from http://www.rad.washington.edu/academics/academic-sections/msk/muscle-atlas/upper-body/levator-scapulae