The Tests
Sit and Reach Test
Purpose: This test measures the flexibility of the lower back and hamstring muscles.
Equipment required: Sit and reach box (or alternatively a ruler can be used, and held between the feet)
Description / procedure: This test involves sitting on the floor with legs out straight ahead. Feet (shoes off) are placed with the soles flat against the box, shoulder-width apart. Both knees are held flat against the floor by the tester. With hands on top of each other and palms facing down, the subject reaches forward along the measuring line as far as possible. After three practice reaches, the fourth reach is held for at least two seconds while the distance is recorded. Make sure there is no jerky movements and that the fingertips remain level and the legs flat.
Scoring: The score is recorded to the nearest centimeter as the distance reached by the hand.
Trunk Rotation Test
Purpose: The purpose of this flexibility test is to measure trunk and shoulder flexibility, which is important for injury prevention and in particular is important in swimming, racquet sports and throwing sports. It is also a valuable aid in determining any possible muscle imbalances and future back problems.
Equipment required: A pole about 1.2m in length, trunk rotation mat.
Description / procedure: Stand with feet shoulder width apart with the feet pointing towards the 0 mark. Grasp the pole at the top with the bottom of the pole facing towards the mat. Twist your trunk to your right and the pole should follow along the markings along the floor. You are allowed to turn your shoulders, hips and knees as long as your feet don't move. The score is the angle in degrees to which the pole finishes pointing. Repeat for the left side with your feet in the same position.
Scoring: The score is used to determine whether there are any problems with the child structurally. Rotation results should show similar results on both sides.
Shoulder flexibility test
Purpose: To test the flexibility of the shoulder joint, which is important for injury prevention and in particular is important in swimming, raquet sports and throwing sports.
Equipment required: stick or towel, ruler or tape measure.
Description / procedure: Start by holding a towel or a stick in front of the body with both hands wide apart and palms facing downwards. Lift the stick over the head to behind the back, maintaining the hand grip on the object. Repeat the test, moving hands closer together each time until the movement cannot be completed.
Scoring: measure the minimum distance between hands. Measure the distance between the deltoids. Subtract the distance between the deltoids from the distance between the hands to get a score. No norms are currently available for this test.
Note: Arm length must be factored in when comparing children with each other. A child that has grown may also show varying results.
Back Bend Test
Purpose : To test the flexibility and strength of the back in a hyper-extended position.
Description/procedure : Lie flat on the stomach with the hands help together behind the back. Lift the upper body up of the floor trying to get the head and chest raised as high as possible. The feet must be kept on the floor throughout the test.
Scoring : Measure the height from the floor to the lower part of the sternum.
Equipment required : Floor mat, ruler or tape measure.
How to improve flexibility
There are so many stretches that one can and we all know how to do a few basic stretches. Instead we have included some information on the different types of stretching to help you understand which technique would be the best for you.
In order to select a stretching technique, one must first understand where the issues lie with one’s body. It is best to consult a professional in this regard.
The different types of stretching are:
- ballistic stretching – not recommended but read this section
- dynamic stretching – excellent for cold muscles and as a warm up for sport
- active stretching – ideal for improving muscular imbalances
- passive (or relaxed) stretching – excellent post workout and for injuries
- isometric stretching – partner assisted stretching, very intense
Ballistic Stretching (not recommended)
Ballistic stretching uses the momentum of a moving body or a limb in an attempt to force it beyond its normal range of motion. This is stretching, or "warming up", by bouncing into (or out of) a stretched position, using the stretched muscles as a spring which pulls you out of the stretched position. (e.g. bouncing down repeatedly to touch your toes.) This type of stretching is not considered useful and can lead to injury. It does not allow your muscles to adjust to, and relax in, the stretched position. It may instead cause them to tighten up by repeatedly activating the stretch reflex
Dynamic Stretching - excellent for cold muscles and as a warm up for sport
Dynamic stretching, "involves moving parts of your body and gradually increasing reach, speed of movement, or both." Do not confuse dynamic stretching with ballistic stretching! Dynamic stretching consists of controlled leg and arm swings that take you (gently!) to the limits of your range of motion. Ballistic stretches involve trying to force a part of the body beyond its range of motion. In dynamic stretches, there are no bounces or "jerky" movements. An example of dynamic stretching would be slow, controlled leg swings, arm swings, or torso twists.
Dynamic stretching improves dynamic flexibility and is quite useful as part of your warm-up for an active or aerobic workout (such as a arm swings before playing cricket or leg swings before a rugby match)
Dynamic stretching exercises should be performed in sets of 8-12 repetitions. Be sure to stop when and if you feel tired. Tired muscles have less elasticity which decreases the range of motion used in your movements. Continuing to exercise when you are tired serves only to reset the nervous control of your muscle length at the reduced range of motion used in the exercise (and will cause a loss of flexibility). Once you attain a maximal range of motion for a joint in any direction you should stop doing that movement during that workout. Tired and overworked muscles won't attain a full range of motion and the muscle's kinesthetic memory will remember the repeated shorted range of motion, which you will then have to overcome before you can make further progress.
Active Stretching - ideal for improving muscular imbalances
Active stretching is also referred to as static-active stretching. An active stretch is one where you assume a position and then hold it there with no assistance other than using the strength of your agonist muscles For example, bringing your leg up high and then holding it there without anything (other than your leg muscles themselves) to keep the leg in that extended position. The tension of the agonists in an active stretch helps to relax the muscles being stretched (the antagonists) by reciprocal inhibition.
Active stretching increases active flexibility and strengthens the agonistic muscles. Active stretches are usually quite difficult to hold and maintain for more than 10 seconds and rarely need to be held any longer than 15 seconds.
Many of the movements (or stretches) found in various forms of yoga are active stretches.
Passive Stretching - Best after a workout and for injuries
Passive stretching is also referred to as relaxed stretching, and as static-passive stretching. A passive stretch is one where you assume a position and hold it with some other part of your body, or with the assistance of a partner or some other apparatus. For example, bringing your leg up high and then holding it there with your hand. The splits is an example of a passive stretch (in this case the floor is the "apparatus" that you use to maintain your extended position).
Slow, relaxed stretching is useful in relieving spasms in muscles that are healing after an injury.
Relaxed stretching is also very good for "cooling down" after a workout and helps reduce post-workout muscle fatigue, and soreness.
Isometric Stretching - partner assisted stretching, very intense
Isometric stretching is a type of static stretching (meaning it does not use motion) which involves the resistance of muscle groups through isometric contractions (tensing) of the stretched muscles. The use of isometric stretching is one of the fastest ways to develop increased static-passive flexibility and is much more effective than either passive stretching or active stretching alone. Isometric stretches also help to develop strength in the "tensed" muscles (which helps to develop static-active flexibility), and seems to decrease the amount of pain usually associated with stretching.
The most common ways to provide the needed resistance for an isometric stretch are to apply resistance manually to one's own limbs, to have a partner apply the resistance, or to use an apparatus such as a wall (or the floor) to provide resistance.
An example of manual resistance would be holding onto the ball of your foot to keep it from flexing while you are using the muscles of your calf to try and straighten your instep so that the toes are pointed.
An example of using a partner to provide resistance would be having a partner hold your leg up high (and keep it there) while you attempt to force your leg back down to the ground.
An example of using the wall to provide resistance would be the well known "push-the-wall" calf-stretch where you are actively attempting to move the wall (even though you know you can't).
We strongly recommend preceding any isometric stretch of a muscle with dynamic strength training for the muscle to be stretched. A full session of isometric stretching makes a lot of demands on the muscles being stretched and should not be performed more than once per day for a given group of muscles (ideally, no more than once every 36 hours).
The proper way to perform an isometric stretch is as follows:
- Assume the position of a passive stretch for the desired muscle.
- Next, tense the stretched muscle for 7-15 seconds (resisting against some force that will not move, like the floor or a partner).
- Finally, relax the muscle for at least 20 seconds.
