Facilitated Stretching (Paperback)

~ (Author), Jeff Charland (Author) "Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) is a treatment technique developed in the late 1940s and early 1950s by Herman Kabat, MD, PhD, and two physical therapists,..." (more)
Key Phrases: stretcher relaxes, stretcher contracts, direct the stretcher (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Facilitated Stretching serves the elite athlete and the weekend warrior well. Bob McAtee has worked on my aches and pains a dozen or so times over the years. He's one of the finest!"

Harvey S. Newton, CSCS
Executive Director
National Strength and Conditioning Association (review of previous edition)

"Facilitated Stretching is an excellent contribution to the art and science of manual therapy. Bob McAtee provides a technically sound, easy-to-follow approach to therapeutic muscle stretching. I highly recommend it."

Robert K. King
Founder and President of Chicago School of Massage Therapy
Author of Performance Massage (review of previous edition)

"Clear, step-by-step descriptions, detailed illustrations, and ease of use make Facilitated Stretching an essential resource for any massage therapist."

Pat Archer, MS, ATC, LMP
Cortiva Institute-Brenneke School
Senior Faculty and Director of Therapeutic Massage In Athletics Certification Course
Author of Therapeutic Massage In Athletics (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 2006)

"Facilitated Stretching will benefit anyone interested in functional training. The coverage of spiral-diagonal PNF stretches alone makes this book and DVD a must-have."

Craig Liebenson, DC
L.A. Sports and Spine
International Association for the Study of Pain
American Pain Society

"Bob McAtee has done an outstanding job with his revision of Facilitated Stretching. The crystal-clear text and sparkling, detailed photographs are a winning combination, and the new DVD brings the stretches to life! This book is a valuable addition to the library of every serious fitness professional."

Guy Andrews, MA, CSCS *D
Executive Director
Exercise ETC Inc.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Description

When Facilitated Stretching was published in 1993, it was the first book to translate the complexities of PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretching into an easy, step-by-step method for athletes, coaches, and sports medicine professionals. Now fully updated and expanded, Facilitated Stretching is an even better resource that makes PNF stretching accessible to everyone. The book shows you how to perform 66 facilitated stretches covering all the major muscles and muscle groups.

PNF stretching consists of three simple steps: stretch the muscle, contract it isometrically against resistance, then stretch it again. Simple, yet highly effective. These steps apply whether you’re isolating one muscle at a time or using the spiral diagonal patterns of PNF to stretch groups of muscles simultaneously.

This new edition features the latest PNF stretching techniques to help improve range of motion, reduce overuse injuries that result from muscle fatigue, and enable easy assessment of current muscle function. The book has been expanded to include a broader scope of stretches featuring 14 additional muscle groups and an expanded number of self-stretches. You’ll also find a new section on using facilitated stretching along with soft tissue therapy for reducing pain and restoring range of motion lost due to injury.

Facilitated Stretching is a cutting-edge tool that uses the science behind PNF stretching to develop an easy-to-use method to improve flexibility and range of motion.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Human Kinetics Publishers; 2 Sub edition (June 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0736000666
• ISBN-13: 978-0736000666
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #666,755 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have!, April 23, 2003

By	C. Rosenholtz (Boulder, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a massage therapist I often work with muscle injuries. This book is a must have for both therapeutic technique and for client education. I highly reccommend it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful little book..., April 7, 2007

By	Norfolk Trainer "Nick" (Norfolk, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Facilitated Stretching - 3rd Edition (Paperback)

As a Personal Trainer, I was looking for a book that was practical with stretches that I could teach my clients that were beyond the normal static stretches. After some weeks with a flexibility program designed with stretches from this book, there is a noticible difference in positive range of motion. It is well written and easy to follow. For my purposes, I found it to be an excellent book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Exerciser's Gold Mine, August 14, 2007

By	M. Sauro "Self-improvement junkie" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Facilitated Stretching - 3rd Edition (Paperback)

As a runner and horseback rider, I have always subscribed to the theory that stretching is critical for performance. However, finding an effective stretching system has been a long and arduous search. Some books are difficult for the lay person to understand. Some books do not have a fundamental theory underpinning their exercises. And some books promote stretches that are actually harmful. I have found Facilitated Stretching to be the best of the bunch. The illustrations are clear, well-organized and large enough to follow. The text is written clearly and concisely: I can figure out what to do the first time I read it. The cd is excellent: slow, well-narrated and easy to follow. Best of all, the results are immediate. My partially frozen shoulders are starting to move in response to a combination of massage therapy and facilitated stretching (as advocated in the book). My hamstrings have finally let go so now I know what it feels like to walk as normal people do! In short, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It has met all my stringent requirements. This new edition is even better than the second edition which I studied before buying this book.