WHAT LIMITS FLEXIBILITY?
Joint mobility or flexibility is affected by the bony structure of a joint and the ligaments, capsule, tendons and muscles around it. The more elasticity there is in the soft tissues, the larger the amplitude of available movement. Co-ordination of the muscles also play an important role in flexibility. In any movement, the contraction of a (agonist) working muscle is paralleled by the lengthening (relaxation) or stretching of the (antagonist) opposing muscle groups. If the antagonistic muscles yield easily, less energy is spent to overcome the resistance and the movement is more efficient. Age, gender, temperature and time of day affect flexibility. Younger individuals and females are generally more flexible. Research also shows that an increase of muscle temperature by a few degrees can improve flexibility by 10-20 %. Unfortunately the opposite is true and cold muscles are similarly less flexible. As well research indicates that the highest flexibility occurs for most people between
