Laurie's Blogs.

This blog come from a podcast:  https://themovementfix.com/ep-31-dont-static-stretching/

Static stretches are often given to (or done for) patients as a treatment for poor flexibility, or done simply because we think we ‘should’.

The primary thing we need to think about here is ‘what do you think you’re doing’?  Do you think you are elongating the muscle?  Do you think you are helping the patient accommodate to the sensation of muscle elongation?   Perhaps you don’t really think about what you’re doing at all!

Firstly, stretching doesn’t actually make a muscle longer.  Unless you hold a stretch for 24 hours, it’s just not likely that you are making a muscle physically longer.  But what is going on when people find that they have more movement or seem to have better flexibility after stretching?  When you statically stretch, you are wearing out the stretch reflex and subsequently are getting the muscle to relax. In this scenario, stretch receptors are stimulated and then fatigued and you then get more ROM.  The other theory currently out there, is that you are simply getting the body-brain to accommodate to the stretch sensation which in turn allows you to go further before the body signals the brain that there is an ‘issue’ (i.e. before pain).

Perhaps more importantly is the ‘why’.  What are you trying to do when you stretch?  Do you want to lengthen a muscle or really do you want to see improvement in function in some other part of your body?  But is static stretching the best way to do that?  Maybe not… because wearing out your stretch reflex one day doesn’t necessarily equate to a permanence in muscle elongation in at a different point in time.  As well, making your body less responsive to pain signals from stretched muscles, doesn’t mean that other parts of your body will function better.

The author / podcaster suggests the following:

-Rolling out the muscle (foam roller, ball roller, band, tool) with the intention of reducing muscle tension. (But only if done without pain.  Pain will increase tension.)  This might only have an effect for about 60 seconds.  

-After the muscle release, you would then do an easy mobility drill, followed by a loaded movement (with full range), and then your full on strengthening drill.

So here are my thoughts… and I admit I had some troubles wrapping my head around what he was getting at!

I want to apply this info to hip pain.  So, in the case of a painful hip, the dog has a painful deep gluteal, and may also have a tight iliopsoas due to postural compensations.  Instead of jumping right into passive stretching or doing a painful triggerpoint release, here’s how I might do things differently:

1)Using a myofascial skin distraction, I could lift the skin over the hip and deep gluteal, or perhaps do some skin rolling techniques.  I could do the same for the iliopsoas, and perhaps use a small painting roller to access the iliopsoas as well.  Easy and gentle.  No pain.  60 seconds.

2)Then I could do some PROM within the pain free range for hip flexion and extension.  If I wanted it to be active, I could use a toe pinch or tickle (to get hip flexion), followed by some quads scratching/rubbing and press into knee for whole leg extension.  Better yet, might be sit to stand drills.

3)Easier stage strengthening could be e-stim on the glutes with 3-leg stands.  More advanced strengthening drills could be sit to stands facing up hill or with front feet elevated, hill walking, stair climbing, step ups, or squat blocks.

But (from what I could understand of the podcast), instead of static stretching, try some myofascial work instead, followed by ROM, ideally active ROM, and followed by strengthening.

Give it a try and then get back to me (maybe even video it!)  I’d love to hear (and see) what you find!