Active Isolated Stretching: The Mattes Method

Many experts have advocated prolonged stretch up to 60 seconds. For years, this prolonged static stretching technique was the gold standard for indvidiuals and athletes. However, prolonged static stretch greater than five seconds actually decrease the blood flow within the tissue creating localized ischemia and lactic acid build up. Ischemia from a static stretch of greater than five seconds potentiates irritation or injury of local muscular, tendonous, lymphatic, as well as neural tissues, similar to the effects and consequences of trauma, overuse syndromes, and metabolic disease states. The Mattes Method of muscle and fascial release is founded on controlling the body's stretch reflexes in conjunction to specific isolated manual release of individual muscles and their corresponding muscle groups. Mattes Method myofascial release technique incorporates AIS which uses active movement and reciprocal inhibiition to achieve optimal flexibility. Using a 2.0-second stretch has proven to be the key in avoiding reflexive contraction of the antagonastic muscle. Without activating antagonastic muscle group contraction, restoration of rull range of motion and flexibility can be successfully achieved. The Mattes Method of muscle and fascial release provides effective dynamic stretch of major muscle groups, but more importantly fucntional physiological restoration of muscle, tendons, vertebrae, ligaments and joints facilitating healthier superficial and deep fascial structures. The Mattes Method is an effective therapeutic treatment for deep and superficial fascial release, restoring proper fascial plane symmetry for optimal physiologic functioning of neural, lymphatic, vascular systems as well as our body's bio-chemical, biomechanical, and piezoelectric homeostatis. Physicians, chiropractors, physical therapists, exercise physiologists, massage therapists, trainers, coaches, athletes, as well as anyone concerned about wellness and health will find this book informative and eff