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PASSIVE FLEXIBILITY
Static passive flexibility (also called passive flexibility) is the ability to assume extended positions and then hold them using your own weight, the support of your limbs, some other tool (such as a chair or bar) or the help of a partner.
The ability to hold the position does not come exclusively from the muscles, as it does with active static flexibility. Being able to do the splits is an example of passive static flexibility.
The common concept of joint mobility refers to passive flexibility.
Compared to passive, active flexibility is more closely related to the level achieved in sports. Active flexibility is indeed more difficult to develop; it needs passive flexibility to be able to assume an initial lying position, but it also needs muscle strength to be able to maintain that position.
ARTICULAR ROM
Joint flexibility is defined by the ROM (Range Of Motion), i.e. by the degrees of freedom allowed by a specific joint.
ROM is usually measured by the number of degrees completed by a body segment from the starting position to the final position, along its full range of motion.
The most common method of calculating this is using a protractor.
When the anatomical landmarks are well defined, the measurement accuracy is high. When there is a lot of soft tissue surrounding the joint area, measurement error may be more frequent.
Can joint mobility be improved?
Flexibility will be improved through a combination of active and passive exercises, remembering that it is advisable to switch to mobility exercises after warming up.
The mobility work must be continued even when the desired degree of flexibility has been reached: by giving up appropriate exercises, the degree of mobility regresses rather quickly.
The period from 9 to 14 years is very important to work on joint mobility, since the results obtained remain easily even in adulthood.
Internal influences:
the type of joint (some joints are simply not flexible)
the internal resistance to a joint
the bony structures that restrict movement
the elasticity of muscle tissue (muscle tissue marked by a previous injury is not very elastic)
the elasticity of the tendons and ligaments
the elasticity of the skin (the skin has a certain degree of elasticity)
the ability of a muscle to relax and contract to achieve the greatest range of motion
the temperature of the joint and associated tissues (joints and muscles offer better flexibility at body temperatures that are 1 to 2 degrees above normal)
External influences:
the temperature of the place where you train (a higher temperature contributes more to increasing flexibility)
the time of day (most people are more flexible in the afternoon than in the morning, with peaks from about 2:30 to 4 in the afternoon)
the stage of a joint (or muscle) recovery process after injury (injured joints and muscles usually offer less flexibility than healthy ones)
age (before adolescence, people are generally more flexible than adults)
gender (females are generally more flexible than males)
the individual ability to perform a particular exercise (s "learns with practice)
the individual commitment to achieving flexibility
restrictions on clothing or gear
age as older joints tend not to be as healthy as younger ones.
Excess fatty tissues impose a restriction.
Muscle mass can be a limiting factor, for example when the muscle is so strongly developed that it interferes with the ability to bring adjacent joints into their full range of motion.
Low water intake: It seems that a higher water intake contributes to greater mobility, as well as greater overall relaxation of the body.
the inactivity of some muscles or joints can cause chemical changes in the connective tissue with restricted flexibility.
Aging and flexibility
When connective tissue is not used or is minimally used, it gives significant resistance and limits flexibility. Elastin begins to wear down, becomes less elastic and collagen increases its stiffness and density.
Aging has effects on connective tissue similar to disuse, with the addition of progressive dehydration, increased calcium deposition and the replacement of muscle fibers with fat collagen fibers.
Stretching is believed to stimulate the production or storage of lubricants between connective tissue fibers, effectively preventing adhesions from forming. Exercise can therefore delay the loss of flexibility caused by the natural aging process.
This does not mean that a senior should give up on achieving good flexibility. It will simply have to work more carefully over a longer period of time. A better ability of muscle and connective tissues to stretch can in fact be achieved at any age.
