Back Pain Relief: Active Isolated Stretching

Stretching… We all know we should do it, but who really has the time? Unforutnately as a back pain sufferer, I know that not stretching equals more pain. But, what if I showed you a method that you could use that takes less than 5 minutes to losen all of the muscle that relax the back area, and, have it be more effective than your current stretching routine?

Enter: Active Isolated Stretching (AIS)

Developed by kinesiologist (the science of human movement) Aaron Mattes, AIS works with your body’s physiology to stretch what’s tight, and activate what’s dormant. AIS addresses circulator, neuromuscular, and myofasical system in order to provide a complete lengthing of your muscles, without the danger of microtrauma.

If you’re a real fitness geek, look up Sherrington’s Law of reciprocal inhibition and muscle contraction.

There’s more good news; you don’t have to be an anatomy and physiology expert to understand and utilize AIS!

Rules of Acitve Isolated Stretching

1. Chose a muscle you wish to work on, and move it through it’s full range of motion while contracting it’s antagonist (IE the tricep is the antagonist of the bicep)

2. When you reach the end-range of motion, apply a small force in the direction of the stretch for 2 seconds. This force should be generated through the antagonist, although added assistance by way of a towel, belt, and rope (as seen in some of the videos) maximizes the effects of the technique.

3. Relax the muscle completely as it returns to its resting length.

4. Repeat for 10 reps

Using AIS to Relieve Back Pain

Quad / anterior hip Active Isolated Stretch

Hamgstring Active Isolated Stretch

Hips Active Isolated Strecthes