It pays to be flexible

Press, 19 June 1986, Page 17

It pays to be flexible

By

Q: In your column, you seem to place a lot of emphasis on flexibility. Why? A: In two words, injury prevention. Poor flexibility is a leading cause of injury. Individuals who do not regularly perform flexibility exercises have a narrower range of motion, which makes proper execution of other exercises very difficult. Tight muscles do not "carry their weight” during exercise. They force us to compensate by using other muscles and less efficient movements. In turn, stress is placed on inappropriate muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints, which leads to injury. Inflexibility can also have a negative effect on posture. For instance, tight lower-back muscles can prevent you from standing correctly, which puts extra pressure on your spine. Perhaps most important, flexible muscles are more resilient to painful strains and pulls. If any of these problems sound familiar, you probably should work a little harder at improving your range of motion. Stretching is the best way to increase flexibility. But stick to slow, static stretches with no bouncing action. And try to find a stretch for every major muscle, especially those used most in aerobic activities — the calves, hamstrings, quadriceps and gluteals. Q: My doctor told me my shinsplints were caused by a muscle imbalance. What is a muscle imbalance and how is it related to my injury? A: Muscle imbalance really refers to a strength imbalance between muscles that work in opposition, such as our quadriceps and hamstrings. These muscles work in pairs to provide movement in both directions of a joint — extension and flexion. Certain muscles found in these pairings are

JUDI SHEPPARD

MISSETT

naturally strong due to their consistent use. They include our quadricep, calf and upper back muscles. In your case, shinsplint pain is a result of the strength imbalance between your calf and tibialis anterior muscles. Most likely, your calf muscle has become tight (a common problem with strength imbalance), and you are compensating in your physical movement for its lack of flexibility. Inappropriate muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints are then stressed (see question above) and you end up immobilised with painful shins. There are several simple exercises you can do to balance the strength of your lower leg muscles and to improve the flexibility of your calf muscles. Start by walking on your heels a few times each day. This forces your anterior muscles to pull your toes off the floor and hold them there. Try it. Did you feel the pull? To stretch your calf muscles, stand facing a wall with your feet planted a few feet away from it. Lean into the wall, supporting yourself with your hands and keeping your heels flat on the floor, until you feel a stretch along your calf. Follow these tips as well: • Always land on the ball of your foot, then press your heels to the floor when running, jumping or skipping. This prevents your calf muscle from becoming too tight. • Make sure your shoes are well cushioned. Check for wear in the inner heel, and replace your shoes promptly when they are worn. • Concentrate on proper body alignment when executing movements. Do not place any unnecessary strain on your shins. • Allow plenty of time for your body to recover between workouts. Overtraining also overstresses sensitive areas such as your shins.