GLOSSARY

Flexibility is the ability of a joint or group of joints to move through its full range of motion without pain or restriction.

Types

• Static flexibility: the maximal range of motion achieved passively, such as bending forward to touch the toes.
• Dynamic flexibility: range of motion during active movement, such as leg swings.

Influencing Factors

• Joint structure: bone shape and the joint capsule.
• Soft tissue: muscle, tendon, fascia, ligament, and skin.
• Stretch tolerance: research shows that short-term increases in flexibility are due more to greater tolerance of the stretch sensation by the nervous system than to structural change in muscle.
• Age, sex, and temperature: women are usually more flexible; warm tissue is more extensible.

Stretching Methods