Simplifying Active Inhibition Techiques:

4 active inhibition techniques to know:

1- Hold –Relax: In this method the client is using MAXIMAL MUSCLE CONTRACTION and it is ISOMETRIC (the joint is not moving)

Take the muscle being stretched into first barrier of resistance –no pain- and hold

Ask the client to MAXIMALLY CONTRACT that same muscle against your resistance (do not allow limb/joint to move)

Hold for 5-10 seconds Ask them to release the contraction Take the muscle into a further (new) barrier of resistance and repeat

3 times each time progressing further into the new barrier and getting more of a stretch.

2- Contract-Relax: here we are again using MAXIMAL MUSCLE CONTRACTION but this time it is CONCENTRIC (Limb/ joint moves slightly).

Take muscle being stretched into its first barrier of resistance –no pain- and hold

Ask the client to MAXIMALLY contract that same muscle against your resistance allowing the limb/joint to move slightly and hold for 5-10 seconds.

Ask them to relax that muscle Take it into its new barrier of resistance Repeat 3 times each time progressing further into the new barrier

and getting more of a stretch. (GTO is activated here)

3- PIR (post-isometric relaxation): Here the muscle is being contracted SUB- MAXIMALLY and the contraction is isometric (no joint movement) we are also taking into consideration 2 new things here: Breathing and eye movement.

Take the muscle being stretched into its first barrier of resistance – pain free.

Ask the client to contract that same muscle (using less than full strength) against your resistance – no limb movement- as they take a deep breath in and count to 10 seconds

Ask them to relax that muscle as they breathe out through their lips Now take that muscle into its new barrier of resistance and repeat 3

times Note: here you can uses eye movements to increase the stretch (e.g:

get client to look left as you stretch right upper trapezius while they breathe out)

4- Agonist Contraction (where the agonist is in reality the antagonist to the muscle we are

stretching, but it is termed this way because it is the one contracting) : Passively take the muscle being stretched into its first barrier of

resistance Now ask the client to contract the muscles that oppose the stretched

muscles action (they will have to contract the limb in the same direction you were stretching them in!). Here they use SUB-MAXIMAL contraction and it is concentric (limb/ joint slightly moves)

Allow this contraction 10 seconds Ask them to relax Now move the limb into a new resistance barrier and repeat 3 times (Uses what is known as reciprocal inhibition)

GOOD LUCK !!