Anatomy

Duration (music)

Physics

Neuroscience

Static stretching

Mathematics

Range of motion

Sensory system

Operating system

Statistics

Sensation

Physical therapy

Psychology

Composite material

Acoustics

Viscoelasticity

Materials science

Extensibility

Computer science

Flexibility (engineering)

Medicine

Physical medicine and rehabilitation

Physical Therapy

Various theories have been proposed to explain increases in muscle extensibility observed after intermittent stretching. Most of these theories advocate a mechanical increase in length of the stretched muscle. More recently, a sensory theory has been proposed suggesting instead that increases in muscle extensibility are due to a modification of sensation only. Studies that evaluated the biomechanical effect of stretching showed that muscle length does increase during stretch application due to the viscoelastic properties of muscle. However, this length increase is transient, its magnitude and duration being dependent upon the duration and type of stretching applied. Most of these studies suggest that increases in muscle extensibility observed after a single stretching session and after short-term (3- to 8-week) stretching programs are due to modified sensation. The biomechanical effects of long-term (>8 weeks) and chronic stretching programs have not yet been evaluated. The purposes of this article are to review each of these proposed theories and to discuss the implications for research and clinical practice.

Increasing Muscle Extensibility: A Matter of Increasing Length or Modifying Sensation?