The Physiology of Stretching

The purpose of this chapter is to introduce you to some of the basic physiological concepts that come into play when a muscle is stretched. Concepts will be introduced initially with a general overview and then (for those who want to know the gory details) will be discussed in further detail. If you aren't all that interested in this aspect of stretching, you can skip this chapter. Other sections will refer to important concepts from this chapter and you can easily look them up on a "need to know" basis.

• Stretching / Flexibility Table of Contents
• The Physiology of Stretching
• The Musculoskeletal System
• Muscle Composition
• Connective Tissue
• Cooperating Muscle Groups
• Types of Muscle Contractions
• What Happens When You Stretch