Self Myofascial Release (SMR) Stretching

In this fitness blog, we focus on Self-Myofascial Release (SMR) stretching.

SMR stretching is the use of tension from an external source, for example, a foam roller, to put pressure on the Golgi Tendon Organs and therefore inhibit muscle spindle activity.

Suppose a personal trainer or sports massage therapist has a client with an overactive muscle. In that case, they can apply SMR stretching to the area to release tension, deactivate tightness, and increase the muscle’s range of motion. This is done by placing a foam roller on the affected muscle and applying pressure. The Golgi Tendon Organs sense that there’s an increase in tension going through the muscle and override the muscle spindles, which release the tension in the muscle.

Muscle groups that are commonly overactive and need work include the hip flexor complex, the medial gastrocnemius, the hamstrings, the latissimus dorsi, the pectoralis major, and the erector spinae. A fitness instructor should also investigate whether a client has particular areas with tight muscles because of the specific demands of their job or lifestyle.

To effectively incorporate SMR stretching into a client’s training programme, a personal trainer must adhere to the following processes.

Inhibiting the overactive muscle

Initially, we need to inhibit the overactive muscle. This should be done at the start of the exercise, as muscles work in pairs. Reciprocal inhibition states that one muscle must be inactive for the other to be active.

If the overactive muscle is the hip flexor complex – comprising the psoas major, iliacus and rectus femoris – the personal trainer will ask the client to lie down on the front groove of the hip with the foam roller on the most proximal point to the affected muscle and then to roll it down the muscle towards the origin of the problem.

Realigning the muscle fibres

When applying SMR, the client will feel an increase in pressure or a trigger point in the muscle, where the muscle fibres have become knotted instead of lying parallel, preventing the muscle from working correctly. At this point, they should maintain pressure on the muscle with minimal movement, effectively “ironing out” the crease in the muscle and realigning the muscle fibres into a parallel structure. The Golgi Tendon Organs will sense the increase in tension and override the muscle spindles, inhibiting the overactive muscle and releasing the tension.

Static stretches

Following SMR stretching using the foam roller, the personal trainer can instruct their client to carry out a series of static stretches, held for around 20 to 30 seconds, which will compound the effect of inhibition. In the case of the hip flexor, the client would stand with both feet flat on the floor, knees slightly bent and one leg forward, stretching the hip flexor on the back leg.

You can follow these static stretches with an active isolation stretch, which involves using agonists and antagonists in a series of opposite movements. We move the muscle through an extensive range of motion and hold it at its furthest point in this exercise.

In the case of the hip flexor, the client would stand with both feet flat on the floor, knees slightly bent, and raise one leg off the floor, extending the hip to its furthest range of motion and holding for 5 seconds. This action activates the gluteus maximus and stretches the hip flexor. Repeat this exercise for five to ten repetitions.

Activating the underactive muscle

To activate the underactive muscle, the personal trainer would set around eight to 10 reps of an isolated exercise. Following the example of the hip flexor, the client can perform a standing hip abduction by standing up straight with a rubber band around the leg that has just been stretched and abducting it to the side. They could also repeat the hip extension exercise, lifting the leg back. Both would activate the gluteus medius first, then the gluteus maximus.

Once this step is completed, the client’s muscles will have been “normalised”. At this point, the personal trainer would introduce a compound exercise, such as a squat. All of the muscles will now be firing equally, enabling the client to carry out the exercise more effectively.