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Active Isolated Stretching
The Mattes Method:
 What
is Active Isolated Stretching?
Over the past two
decades, many experts have advocated prolonged stretching up
to 60 seconds. A prolonged stretch up to 60 seconds means
that a person would move
into a stretching position and keep it there for a longer
period. For many years this was used as the gold standard
for all individuals and athletes. However, after 30 years of
research by Aaron Mattes, it was found that a stretch
greater than 5 seconds actually decreases the blood flow
within the tissue thus creating localized ischemia and
lactic acid build up. This also increases irritation and
change of 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. This phenomenon indicates that there has to
be a better technique for proper stretching. And indeed it
was found, now called Active
Isolated Stretching.
Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) is a stretching method
developed by Aaron L. Mattes. AIS utilizes precise movements
to isolate a specific area to be stretched. Once in the
proper position, the stretch is held for 1.5 to 2 seconds,
released, and then repeated 8-10 times in a set. AIS has
been used by thousands of professional and amateur athletes
to increase flexibility and performance while reducing the
risk of injury. It is also effective in reducing pain in the
human body caused by incorrect posture, injury, and
inactivity.
Active Isolated Stretching: How it Works
There are two primary principles that provide the basis for
how AIS works. The first is called reciprocal inhibition,
which means that if you want to lift your arm, your nervous
system has to shut off the muscles that bring your arm down.
This means that AIS involves your nervous system in the
stretch, making it easier for the muscles to elongate. The
second principle is to hold the stretch for 1.5 to 2
seconds, and no longer. Research shows that holding a
stretch for longer than 2.5 to 3 seconds will cause your
body to engage a protective reflex. This stretch reflex will
cause a muscle contraction in the muscle you are trying to
stretch. It is therefore important not to hold any stretch
to long, not even 3 seconds.
By not “tripping” the stretch reflex, you are able to get a
gentle stretch, without the body fighting itself. The
stretch is repeated 8 to 10 times in a set. The repeated
“pumping” action of the muscle allows for increased
circulation to the area. Because the stretches target highly
specific areas of the body, AIS provides an efficient and
effective stretch.
These specific movements also help relieve symptoms of
stress. Stress touches all of our lives. Gentle stretching
movements can invigorate the circulatory, respiratory and
neuromuscular systems, which help alleviate many of the
symptoms of stress.
Benefits of Active Isolated
Stretching
Improves flexibility
Helps to relieve muscle soreness
Reduces muscle spasm
Helps to address and reduce chronic pain
Reduces the risk of muscle strain and tearing
Helps recovery from injury
Helps to increase athletic performance
Helps to relieve stress
Improves oxygen and nutrient delivery to cells
Helps stimulate lymph circulation and elimination of
cellular waste
Helps to maintain good posture
Helps to regain and maintain the full range of motion of a
joint
Promotes balance in the body
Promotes healthy growth in children and youth
Prevent postural problems in pre-adolescent growth spurts.
ACTIVE ISOLATED STRETCHING & INJURY, REGAINING YOUR
OPTIMAL SPORTS PERFORMANCE.
By applying all these principles to any soft tissue injury,
inflammation and muscle damage one can accelerate the
recovery process of the body up to 3-4 times the normal
recovery rate. Both professional and amateur sports people
can now tell many success stories. AIS changed their lives,
optimizing their performance in a new and dynamic way.
Even in our own clinic we could see the drastic changes to
Ankle strains and sprains, shoulder immobility, inflammation
in the knee joint and lots more. This is not only a
revolutionary way of preventing of all injuries, but also in
helping in effective exercises to regain optimal performance
in the sports arena.
For you as a health care professional, AIS can be very
beneficial. Instead of immobilizing many soft tissue
injuries, tears, sprains and localized swellings. It can now
be mobilized effectively and without reoccurrence of these
injuries. This is not only effective for sports people, but
can be applied to all human beings at any age, the elderly,
and paraplegic and populations with disorders. To regain
their ROM optimally, would help them to regain their lives.
ABOUT HANS DE WIT
Hans de Wit is a qualified Sport massage therapist (2002),
Sport and Exercise technologist, exercise physiologist and
accredited Mattes stretching therapist. He studied at the
Tswane University of Pretoria and received a Diploma in
2002, from where he continued in getting a B-Tech degree in
Sport science and exercise physiology 2003. He received
personal education from Aaron L. Mattes in 2005, and gained
experience at his clinic in Sarasota, Florida in the USA. De
Wit is a member of the South African Sports Medicine
association and presents seminars and workshops in active
isolated stretching too many health care professionals,
athletes and trainers around the country. He currently
directs stretching & rehabilitation clinics in Pretoria,
South Africa.
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