Exercises
Postisometric relaxation can be performed on almost all muscles. It is particularly suitable for the joints of the extremities. Postisometric Relaxation can also be performed well on the head and cervical spine, especially in cases of neck tension.
As a rule, this is a therapeutic technique. The therapist sets the resistance and command for isometric tension and then passively stretches the tensed muscle during relaxation. Especially in acute pain and also in stretching in general, it can be very helpful if no active movements have to be performed, as this leads to counter-tensions.
For example, an injury to the elbow often results in reactive hypertonus – a protective tension in the elbow flexor, the biceps. In order to apply postisometric relaxation here, a favorable starting position is now sought. The supine position is suitable, the upper arm should be supported to ensure a relaxed starting position.
The arm is now moved into the elbow extension until a slight stretching sensation occurs. Now the therapist places a resistance in the direction of the elbow flexion and asks the patient to hold the position against the resistance. The biceps tenses up in the process.
The tension is held for about 10 seconds. The therapist’s hands should also be positioned on the biceps to provide an additional tactile stimulus. The tension is followed by relaxation.The therapist now asks the patient to release the tension and then moves the arm passively into extension as far as possible.
The range of movement is exhausted as soon as pain occurs or the biceps is tensed against movement. Then the position is held again and a second tension is applied at the new end of movement. After 10 seconds, relaxation is also initiated again and stretching begins.
This cycle is repeated until the elbow cannot be stretched any further. Now it is useful to strengthen the triceps, i.e. the antagonist of the bizpe, so that the patient can hold the newly gained position on his own. First of all, at the end of the new movement, the patient is asked to hold the position on his own immediately after the last stretch.
To do this, the therapist now places his hands on the triceps, as a tactile aid for the patient, whom the patient must now tense. Often it is very difficult to hold the new position and some of the range of motion is lost. It is nevertheless important to activate the triceps.
If the patient is able to hold an active position, a slight resistance can be set and the patient is asked to slowly push back into the flexion. The triceps now holds the tension and must slowly release the range of motion – thus it extends under tension. This form of training is called eccentricity and is particularly difficult for strained, weak or functionally hypotonic muscles.
The resistance is accordingly easy to set. Active movement of the elbow over the entire range of motion can further normalize the tension situation in the upper arm and ensure the new mobility. Care should be taken to ensure that the biceps is not brought back into a tense state by strong training with resistors.
Postisometric relaxation can also be carried out on your own. This is particularly effective for tension in the lateral shoulder neck area. If the patient feels painful tension, for example in the right side of the neck, Postisometric Relaxation can usually bring about rapid relief.
The patient sits upright on a chair and now puts his right hand against his right cheek. He builds up tension against his right hand without any movement. It is a slight resistance, the cervical spine is sensitive!
The tension is held for about 10 seconds and then released. The stretching is difficult to perform, because with increasing inclination or even the head it becomes more difficult to give oneself an adequate resistance. So the cycle of tension and relaxation is performed in the upright position and then stretched.
In the rotational movement, it is easier to give resistance at the end of the movement. Here the newly achieved extent of movement can be controlled well. The patient remembers the last point that he can still see from an upright position when rotating his head to one side and then performs the Postisometric Relaxation.
The point of view should now shift more and more to the back. There are more exercises for Postisometric Relaxation and different starting positions. In principle, the technique can be performed on any muscle.
It is important that tensing against a resistance is allowed. Movement restrictions prescribed by the doctor must of course also be observed. For more information about shoulder and neck pain, please refer to the page Exercises against shoulder and neck pain and stretching exercises.
