6
STRETCHING ANATOMY
Neck Muscle Movements
The stretches in this chapter are excellent overall stretches; however, not all of these stretches may be completely suited to each persons needs. The muscles involved in the various neck movements appear in the following table. To stretch specic muscles, the stretch must involve one or more movements in the opposite direction of the desired muscles movements. For example, if you want to stretch the left scalene, you could extend the head both backward and laterally to the right. When a muscle has a high level of stiffness, you should use fewer simultaneous opposite movements (you would stretch a very tight right scalene by initially doing just left lateral extension). As a muscle becomes loose, you can incorporate more simultaneous opposite movements.
Semispinalis capitis Splenius capitis
Sternocleidomastoid Scalene
Trapezius
Extension Splenius capitis Semispinalis capitis E3469/Nelson/1.03a/274039/JasonMc/R1 Trapezius
Flexion
Sternocleidomastoid
Scalene
Rotation Lateral flexion Lateral extension E3469/Nelson/1.03b/274040/JasonMc/R2
Scalene Sternocleidomastoid Trapezius
E3469/Nelson/1.03c/274041/JasonMc/R1
SHOULDERS, BACK, AND CHEST
21
Shoulder, Back, and Chest Muscle Movements
The stretches in this chapter are excellent overall stretches; however, not all of these stretches may be completely suited to each persons needs. The muscles involved in the various shoulder and upper chest and back movements appear in the following table. To stretch specic muscles, the stretch must involve one or more movements in the opposite direction of the desired muscles movements. For example, if you want to stretch the serratus anterior, you could perform a movement that involves shoulder depression, shoulder retraction, and shoulder adduction. When a muscle has a high level of stiffness, you should use very few simultaneous opposite movements (for example, to stretch a very tight pectoralis major, you would start by doing shoulder extension and external rotation). As a muscle becomes loose, you can incorporate more simultaneous opposite movements.
Depression Trapezius Pectoralis major Latissimus dorsi Pectoralis minor
Elevation
Levator scapulae
Serratus anterior
Protraction Retraction E3469/Nelson/2.07a/274054/JasonMc/R1
Trapezius
Levator scapulae
Rhomboids Serratus anterior Latissimus dorsi
E3469/Nelson/2.07b/274055/JasonMc/R1
External rotation Deltoid
Internal rotation Deltoid
Teres minor Infraspinatus
Pectoralis major Teres major Latissimus dorsi
E3469/Nelson/2.07C/274056/JasonMc/R1
Adduction Deltoid Infraspinatus Teres minor Teres major Latissimus dorsi Pectoralis major Trapezius
Abduction
Serratus anterior
E3469/Nelson/2.07d/274057/JasonMc/R1 Extension Deltoid Biceps brachii Pectoralis major Flexion
Deltoid Triceps brachii Latissimus dorsi
E3469/Nelson/2.07e/274058/JasonMc/R1
22
50
STRETCHING ANATOMY
Arm, Wrist, and Hand Muscle Movements
The stretches in this chapter are excellent overall stretches; however, not all of these stretches may be completely suited to each persons needs. The muscles involved in the various arm and hand movements appear in the table on page 52. To stretch specic muscles, the stretch must involve one or more movements in the opposite direction of the desired muscles movements. For example, if you want to stretch the exor carpi radialis, you could perform a movement that involves wrist extension and radial deviation. When a muscle has a high level of stiffness, you should use fewer simultaneous opposite movements (for example, to stretch a very tight exor carpi radialis, you could start by doing only radial deviation). As a muscle becomes loose, you can incorporate more simultaneous opposite movements.
Biceps brachii
Pronator teres Brachialis Flexion
Triceps brachii Extension
E3469/Nelson/3.14a/274085/JasonMc/R2
Biceps brachii
Pronator teres
Supination E3469/Nelson/3.14b/274086/JasonMc/R2
Pronation
Extensor carpi radialis brevis Extensor carpi radialis longus
Flexor carpi radialis Palmaris longus Flexor carpi ulnaris Wrist extension Wrist flexion
E3469/Nelson/3.14c/274087/JasonMc/R2 Abductor pollicis longus Extensor pollicis brevis
Extensor carpi radialis longus Flexor carpi radialis Radial deviation
Extensor carpi ulnaris
Ulnar deviation
E3469/Nelson/3.14d/274088/JasonMc/R1
Extensor digitorum communis
Flexor digitorum superficialis Finger flexion Finger extension
E3469/Nelson/3.14e/274089/JasonMc/R2
51
66
STRETCHING ANATOMY
Lower-Trunk Muscle Movements
The stretches in this chapter are excellent overall stretches; however, not all of these stretches may be completely suited to each persons needs. The muscles involved in the various lower-trunk movements appear in the following table. To stretch specic muscles, the stretch must involve one or more movements in the opposite direction of the desired muscles movements. For example, if you want to stretch the left external oblique, you could perform a movement that involves trunk extension and right trunk lateral exion. When a muscle has a high level of stiffness, you should use fewer simultaneous opposite movements (for example, to stretch a very tight external oblique, you could start by doing only trunk extension). As a muscle becomes loose, you can incorporate more simultaneous opposite movements.
External oblique
Rectus abdominis
Extension
Flexion
E3469/Nelson/4.09a/274107/JasonMc/R1
E3469/Nelson/4.09b/274108/JasonMc/R1
External oblique
Lateral flexion
E3469/Nelson/4.09c/274109/JasonMc/R1
88
STRETCHING ANATOMY
Hip Muscle Movements
The stretches in this chapter are excellent overall stretches; however, not all of these stretches may be completely suited to each persons needs. The muscles involved in the various hip and thigh movements appear in the table on page 90. To stretch specic muscles, the stretch must involve one or more movements in the opposite direction of the desired muscles movements. For example, if you want to stretch the left adductor magnus, you could perform a movement that involves extension, internal rotation, and abduction of the left leg. When a muscle has a high level of stiffness, you should use fewer simultaneous opposite movements (for example, to stretch a very tight adductor magnus, you could start by doing only hip abduction). As a muscle becomes loose, you can incorporate more simultaneous opposite movements.
Tensor fascia lata Gluteus medius
Sartorius Rectus femoris
Gluteus maximus Biceps femoris Gluteus medius
Flexion
Extension
E3469/Nelson/5.10a/274132/JasonMc/R2 Iliacus Psoas major Pectineus Sartorius Adductor longus Adductor magnus Gluteus medius Tensor fascia lata Gracilis
External rotation
Internal rotation
E3469/Nelson/5.10b/274133/JasonMc/R2
Pectineus Adductor longus Adductor magnus Gracilis
Tensor fascia lata Rectus femoris
Adduction
Abduction
E3469/Nelson/5.10c/274134/JasonMc/R2
89
110
STRETCHING ANATOMY
Knee and Thigh Muscle Movements
The stretches in this chapter are excellent overall stretches; however, not all of these stretches may be completely suited to each persons needs. The muscles involved in the various thigh and knee movements appear in the following table. To stretch specic muscles, the stretch must involve one or more movements in the opposite direction of the desired muscles movements. For example, if you want to stretch the left biceps femoris, you would perform a movement that involves extension and internal rotation of the left leg. When a muscle has a high level of stiffness, you should use fewer simultaneous opposite movements (for example, to stretch a very tight biceps femoris, you could start by doing only knee extension). As a muscle becomes loose, you can incorporate more simultaneous opposite movements.
Rectus femoris Vastus lateralis Vastus intermedius
Sartorius Biceps femoris
Gastrocnemius
Extension
Flexion
E3469/Nelson/6.10a/274159/JasonMc/R1
Biceps femoris Gracilis Semimembranosus Semitendinosus
Sartorius
Internal rotation
External rotation
E3469/Nelson/6.10b/274160/JasonMc/R1
138
STRETCHING ANATOMY
Foot and Calf Muscle Movements
The stretches in this chapter are excellent overall stretches; however, not all of these stretches may be completely suited to each persons needs. The muscles involved in the various calf, ankle, and foot movements appear in the following table. To stretch specic muscles, the stretch must involve one or more movements in the opposite direction of the desired muscles movements. For example, if you want to stretch the left exor digitorum longus, you could perform a movement that involves dorsiexion and eversion of the left ankle and toe extension of the left foot. When a muscle has a high level of stiffness, you should use fewer simultaneous opposite movements (for example, to stretch a very tight exor digitorum longus, you could start by doing only toe extension). As a muscle becomes loose, you can incorporate more simultaneous opposite movements.
Anterior tibialis Extensor digitorum longus Extensor hallucis longus Peroneus tertius
Gastrocnemius Soleus Peroneus longus Peroneus brevis
Dorsiflexion
Plantar flexion
E3469/Nelson/7.13a/274181/JasonMc/R1 Anterior tibialis Peroneus longus
Flexor digitorum longus
Extensor digitorum longus
Extensor hallucis longus Inversion
Peroneus tertius Eversion
E3469/Nelson/7.13b/274182/JasonMc/R1
Extensor digitorum longus Extensor hallucis longus Extensor digitorum brevis Abductor digiti minimi Toe flexion
Toe extension
E3469/Nelson/7.13c/274184/JasonMc/R1
Abductor digiti minimi
Abductor hallucis
Toe abduction
E3469/Nelson/7.13d/274219/JasonMc/R1
139