A Paradigm Shift refers to an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way. A discovery that brings about a shift in our understanding of an evolution, of an idea, concept or thought.
microStretching® represents a major shift in the perception and practice of stretching. Instead of being concerned with increases in range of motion, which is a natural byproduct for both active and passive ranges of motion, microStretching® is focused on the proper recovery, regeneration, and adaptation of the body and the inflammatory system and response. At the core is the suggestion that the proper magnitude of the stretch is the foundation of concern with the response and adaptation of the tissue to its environment, both internal and external.
In this useful, accessible volume, practitioners and students who are concerned with sports and rehabilitation medicine, kinesiology, as well as coaches and athletes are introduced to numerous concepts, including mechanotransduction, inflammation, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, calpains, the extracellular matrix, neutrophils and macrophages, and their relevance to stretching, particularly stretching intensity. Although the quantitative parameters of training, duration, and frequency are important, it is the qualitative criterion of intensity (“how much”) that the author suggests is ultimately of greater concern. Intensity, the rate and magnitude of force, may be responsible for the proper recovery, regeneration, and adaptation of the musculoskeletal tissues for training, competition, or rehabilitation from injuries. Research suggests that too much force results in the stimulation of an inflammatory response, one associated with a biochemical feedback emerging from a mechanical stimulus. The intent of this book is twofold: to initiate the discussion of the importance of stretching with regard to proper recovery, regeneration, and adaptation, and to suggest that researchers need to explore its potential role in addressing numerous inflammatory (RA) and non-inflammatory (OA, recurrent tendinitis etc.) musculoskeletal conditions as well.