Here is a way to strengthen and lengthen the front of the thigh stuff (quadriceps) at home the next time they feel tight. Often we reach for a stretch when something feels tight and introducing an opportunity for the area that feels tight to lengthen while contracting (eccentrically load it) is really effective for a few reasons.
One reason is that when many of us stretch we seek out that yummy stretch sensation which is the stretch reflex. The stretch reflex is a spinal reflex and thus communicates at the level of the spinal cord.
Reason two is there is greater cortical representation (brain involvement) when we load an area that feels tight and move in a way that lengthens the tissue (an eccentric contraction). It goes to the level of the brain instead of the level of the spinal cord.
Anytime we can improve the representation of a body part in the brain it’s a good thing. Better representation equals better body maps in the brain, equals better tissue tone and equals better movement and less sensitivity of our nociceptors (pain messengers). Win-Win-Win!
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