NASM-SFC flashcards
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32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Flexibility
- The extensibility of soft tissue that allows a joint or series of joints to move through its full range of motion without restriction.
- Mobility
- Flexibility combined with neuromuscular control and joint stability, allowing a client to actively move through and control a range of motion.
- Static stretching
- A technique in which a position is held at the point of tension for 15 to 60 seconds, repeated for two to four sets, to improve range of motion.
- Dynamic stretching
- Controlled, movement-based drills performed through progressively larger ranges, typically eight to twelve repetitions, used in a warm-up to prime movement patterns.
- Ballistic stretching
- Rapid, bouncing end-range motion that triggers the stretch reflex; generally reserved for advanced clients with specific sport demands rather than general populations.
- PNR contract-relax
- A proprioceptive neuromuscular technique using a five- to ten-second isometric contraction at end range, brief relaxation, then movement into a new range for two to three cycles.
- Autogenic inhibition
- A relaxation response in which sustained tension on the Golgi tendon organ increases its inhibitory signal to the muscle, permitting greater range.
- Reciprocal inhibition
- A neuromuscular principle in which contracting the agonist muscle reduces tone in the antagonist, allowing it to lengthen more easily during stretching.
- Stretch reflex
- A muscle spindle-mediated reflexive contraction triggered by rapid stretching, which is why slow, controlled application of tension is the default coaching cue.
- Muscle spindle
- A sensory receptor within muscle that detects the rate and magnitude of stretch and signals the muscle to contract protectively.
- Golgi tendon organ
- A receptor at the muscle-tendon junction that senses tension and, when stimulated by sustained force, inhibits the muscle and promotes relaxation.
- Active stretching
- A technique in which the client uses their own agonist muscle contraction to hold an end range, building usable range and control.
- Passive stretching
- A technique in which an external force such as a coach, strap, or gravity moves and holds the limb at end range.
- Active-assisted stretching
- A technique combining the client's own contraction with external assistance, useful for teaching control at a new end range.
- Self-myofascial release
- Applying sustained pressure with a roller or ball to a tender point for thirty to sixty seconds to reduce perceived tightness and temporarily improve range.
- Stretching dose
- Two to four repetitions of thirty to sixty seconds per muscle group, at least two to three days per week, for meaningful range change over four to six weeks.
- Point of tension
- The first sensation of a mild to moderate pull, roughly three to five on a zero-to-ten scale, used as the endpoint for a safe stretch.
- Pre-activity static hold rule
- Holds longer than about sixty seconds immediately before maximal or power output can transiently reduce force, so keep pre-event static work brief.
- Ankle dorsiflexion wall test
- A screen measuring knee-to-wall distance; limited dorsiflexion is linked to altered squat and landing mechanics and indicates calf and ankle mobility work.
- Modified Thomas test
- A screen for hip flexor length in which a supine client holds one knee to the chest while the opposite thigh position is observed.
- Passive straight-leg raise
- A hamstring length screen performed supine with the knee extended; comparing sides and comparing with active range guides intervention choice.
- Overhead squat screen
- A movement screen observing forward lean, heel lift, and arm fall to identify mobility or motor-control limitations before prescribing stretching.
- Passive versus active ROM
- A decision rule: if passive range far exceeds active range, prioritize activation and control; if both are limited, address tissue extensibility.
- Hypermobility caution
- Clients with excessive joint range need isometric strengthening and end-range control, not additional passive stretching into an already excessive range.
- Stretching contraindications
- Acute strain or sprain, unhealed fracture, joint instability, acute inflammation, and sharp or radiating pain; use caution with osteoporosis and recent surgery.
- Warm-up sequence
- Five to ten minutes of light aerobic activity to raise tissue temperature, then dynamic drills, then sport-specific movement preparation before training.
- Breathing during stretching
- Slow exhalation during a hold reduces sympathetic drive and improves stretch tolerance, while breath-holding increases muscle guarding and limits range.
- Posterior pelvic tilt error
- A compensation during hamstring stretching in which the pelvis tucks and the lumbar spine flattens, falsely increasing apparent range.
- Flexibility program variables
- Frequency, intensity, time, type, and progression applied to stretching: two to three or more days weekly, point of tension, thirty- to sixty-second holds.
- Reassessment interval
- Retesting range of motion with the same method every four to six weeks; unchanged active range means the dose or control work must change.
- Range regression rule
- Range gains regress within a few weeks if stretching stops, so two to three sessions per week are needed to maintain adaptations.
- Full-ROM resistance training
- Controlled strength exercise through a complete range can improve flexibility as effectively as static stretching, so pair it with stretching rather than relying on stretching alone.