Tread Fitness Issue 01

2. Aging and inactivity
Connective tissue binds muscle to bone by
tendons, binds bone to bone by ligaments, and
covers and unites muscles with sheaths called
fasciae. With age, the tendons, ligaments, and
fasciae become less extensible. The tendons,
with their densely packed fibers, are the most
difficult to stretch.
The easiest are the fasciae. But if they are
not stretched to improve joint mobility, the
fasciae shorten, placing undue pressure on
the nerve pathways in the muscle fasciae.
Many aches and pains are the result of nerve
impulses traveling along these pressured
pathways.
3. Immobility
Sore muscles or muscle pain can be
excruciating, owing to the body’s reaction
to a cramp or ache. In this reaction, called
the splinting reflex, the body automatically
immobilizes a sore muscle by making it
contract. Thus, a sore muscle can set off a
vicious cycle pain.
First, an unused muscle becomes sore from
exercise or being held in an unusual position.
The body then responds with the splinting
reflex, shortening the connective tissue
around the muscle. This cause more pain, and
eventually the whole area is aching. One of
the most common sites for this problem is the
lower back.
measured these electrical signals in the
muscles of persons with athletic injuries, first
with the muscle immobilized, and then, after
the muscle had been stretched.
In almost every case, exercises that
stretched or lengthened the muscle diminished
electrical activity and relieved pain, either
totally or partially.
These experiments led to the “spasm
theory,” an explanation of the development
and persistence of muscle pain in the absence
of any obvious cause, such as traumatic injury.
According to this theory, a muscle that
is overworked or used in a strange position
becomes fatigued and as a result, sore muscles.
Hence, it is extremely important to know
the limitations and capacity of the muscles in
order to avoid sore muscles. This goes to show
that there is no truth in the saying, “No pain,
no gain.” What matters most is on how people
stay fit by exercising regularly at a normal range
than once rarely but on a rigid routine.
4. Spasm theory
In the physiology laboratory at the
University of Southern California, some people
have set out to learn more about this cycle of
pain.
Using a device, they measured electrical
activity in the muscles. The researchers knew
that normal, well-relaxed muscles produce no
electrical activity, whereas, muscles that are
not fully relaxed show considerable activity.
In one experiment, the researchers
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