known as reciprocal inhibition, which is
based around the notion that in order for
one muscle group to relax, its antagonist
muscle or muscle group must contract (e.g.
contracting the quadriceps to enable the
hamstrings to relax). A passive stretch, such
as a standing calf stretch (photo 3), can be
turned into an active stretching exercise by
activating the tibialis anterior (i.e. pulling the
toes of the back foot up toward the shin).
3
Dynamic
Standing calf stretch
Dynamic stretching mimics functional
movements. It involves the use of concentric
activation (i.e. contraction) of certain
muscles to move bones while other muscles
eccentrically load (i.e. lengthen with tension
like a bungee cord) to allow joint motion
to occur with minimal stress to the joint.
This type of stretching helps clients learn
to perform a desired range of movement
in a controlled and coordinated manner.
An example of a dynamic stretch would be
adding a step backward to the calf stretch
pictured in photo 3. These types