Sunday, May 2, 2010

SHERRINGTON'S LAW OR RECIPROCAL INHIBITION


The law states:

  • The antagonist of tight muscle will be inhibited through impaired reciprocal inhibition. Synergist dominance results from sustained inhibition of a muscle that becomes overactive in an effort to maintain balance throughout the biomechanics of the system.

In other words, when a specific muscle in the human body becomes tight, another muscle (usually a muscle that accommodates the same movement pattern) becomes the main mover. Most of us have tight hip flexors due to poor and prolong sitting. This results in inhibition of Tensor Fascia Latae(TFL), rectus femoris and gluteus maximus causing an anterior pelvic tilt.


When this phenomenon occurs the TFL becomes the main dominant stabilizer of the pelvic.
It is proven that an overactive TFL is a common cause of low back pain, and hip dysfunction (taken from 'COMPLETE HIP AND LOWER EXTREMITY CONDITIONING BY EVAN OSAR'). As you can see a synergic muscle that assist the same movement pattern might compensate for a tight muscle in the body. This can occur in the knee, ankle and shoulder joint as well.

Isn't that interesting? Make sure you stretch and train those TIGHT HIP FLEXORS....maybe is one of your missing
links. I'm out........

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