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Flexibility: A Concise Guide

To Conditioning, Performance Enhancement, Injury Prevention, and Rehabilitation

  • Book
  • © 2008

Overview

Authors:
  1. Laurence E. Holt

    1. School of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Health Professions, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

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    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

  2. Thomas W. Pelham

    1. Waverley, Canada

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    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

  3. Jason Holt

    1. School of Recreation Management and Kinesiology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Canada

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    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

  • Comprehensive, covering all relevant aspects of flexibility
  • Summarizes the basic science underlying the physiology of stretching
  • Synthesizes the important literature and offers a concept of how tissues respond to each of the stretching methods
  • Proposes a new explanation, referred to as the “Fascia Hypothesis”
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: Musculoskeletal Medicine (MUM)

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Table of contents (12 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvi
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  2. Introduction

    1. Introduction

      • Laurence E. Holt, Thomas W. Pelham, Jason Holt
      Pages 1-7

  3. Practical Considerations

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 9-9
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    2. Stretching Techniques and Exercise Prescriptions

      • Laurence E. Holt, Thomas W. Pelham, Jason Holt
      Pages 11-22

    3. Stretching the Major Muscle Groups of the Lower Limb

      • Laurence E. Holt, Thomas W. Pelham, Jason Holt
      Pages 23-35

    4. Stretching the Major Muscle Groups of the Upper Limb

      • Laurence E. Holt, Thomas W. Pelham, Jason Holt
      Pages 37-45

    5. Stretching the Major Muscle Groups of the Trunk and Neck

      • Laurence E. Holt, Thomas W. Pelham, Jason Holt
      Pages 47-54

    6. Advanced 3S Stretching Exercises for Figure Skaters, Gymnasts, Divers, and Dancers

      • Laurence E. Holt, Thomas W. Pelham, Jason Holt
      Pages 55-59

    7. Sports, Fitness, and Dance Applications

      • Laurence E. Holt, Thomas W. Pelham, Jason Holt
      Pages 61-66

  4. Theoretical Considerations

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 67-67
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    2. Flexibility and Exercise

      • Laurence E. Holt, Thomas W. Pelham, Jason Holt
      Pages 69-81

    3. Myths About Stretching

      • Laurence E. Holt, Thomas W. Pelham, Jason Holt
      Pages 83-95

    4. Clinical Concepts and Applications

      • Laurence E. Holt, Thomas W. Pelham, Jason Holt
      Pages 97-111

    5. The Mechanisms of Flexibility Enhancement

      • Laurence E. Holt, Thomas W. Pelham, Jason Holt
      Pages 113-125

  5. Conclusion

    1. Conclusion

      • Laurence E. Holt, Thomas W. Pelham, Jason Holt
      Pages 127-139

  6. Back Matter

    Pages 141-162
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Keywords

About this book

In 1964, at the beginning of my PhD studies at Southern Illinois University, I was first introduced to the theory and practice of proprioceptive neuro­ muscular facilitation (PNF). One specific application, reversal of antago­ nists, particularly intrigued me, and served as the focus of not only my dissertation, but also numerous research projects, presentations, and pub­ lications over the ensuing years, including the monograph Scientific Stretch­ ing for Sport (1973). This was the first publication to present a simplified. planar version of reversal of antagonists for enhancing flexibility. Although I was repeatedly encouraged by friends and colleagues to write a more extensive text, I knew that more laboratory research, methodologi­ cal fine-tuning, clinical information, and significant changes to the concep­ tual foundations, were needed before a truly meaningful book could be written. Throughout my 36 years at Dalhousie University. I have been fortunate to have had a number of excellent graduate students whose theses contrib­ uted much of this needed material. Their work has been published in numerous academic journals and is referenced throughout this text.

Reviews

From the reviews:

"A multiauthored review of flexibility. ... An interesting and thorough guide to the current theories and practical applications of flexibility training is included. ... Recommended Readership: Strength and conditioning specialists, athletic trainers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and physicians in the areas of primary care, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and orthopedics." (Jonathan Finnoff, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Vol. 83 (8), July, 2008)

"In Flexibility: A Concise Guide to Conditioning, Performance Enhancement, Injury Prevention, and Rehabilitation, the authors address these and other questions based on their cumulative years of work in this area. … I found Flexibility: A Concise Guide informative and helpful. I recommend this book to practitioners who wish to increase their understanding of flexibility and the application of stretching techniques." (Thomas Wesley Allen, The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, Vol. 109 (2), February, 2009)

Authors and Affiliations

  • School of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Health Professions, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

    Laurence E. Holt

  • Waverley, Canada

    Thomas W. Pelham

  • School of Recreation Management and Kinesiology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Canada

    Jason Holt

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Flexibility: A Concise Guide

  • Book Subtitle: To Conditioning, Performance Enhancement, Injury Prevention, and Rehabilitation

  • Authors: Laurence E. Holt, Thomas W. Pelham, Jason Holt

  • Series Title: Musculoskeletal Medicine

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-105-9

  • Publisher: Humana Totowa, NJ

  • eBook Packages: Medicine, Medicine (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Humana Press 2008

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-1-60327-104-2Published: 07 January 2008

  • eBook ISBN: 978-1-60327-105-9Published: 27 November 2009

  • Series ISSN: 2626-8663

  • Series E-ISSN: 2626-8671

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XVI, 162

  • Number of Illustrations: 163 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Sports Medicine, Rehabilitation Medicine, General Practice / Family Medicine, Internal Medicine

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