Understanding the Stretch Reflex (or Myotatic Reflex)

What is the Stretch Reflex and how can you use it to

improve your flexibility?
by Brad Walker | First Published April 24, 2009 | Updated May 13, 2019

The nervous system of mammals is very complex. For most major actions in the body
the brain must decide what movement or action must be taken, the nerve impulses must
be transmitted out of the brain, down the spinal cord and out to the intended receiver.
Then when the action is carried out the impulse must return back via the reverse
pathway to tell the brain it was completed and start the next process. This is the path for
any brain-controlled, conscious, impulses. Although it takes a lot of words to explain, it
is really a very rapid process.

However, there are many processes in the body that do NOT require direct thought
to complete. The heart functions, breathing, metabolic processes, disease fighting and
many other autonomic processes happen automatically in the body. The body uses
signals to increase, decrease, or maintain many of these actions. If the carbon dioxide
levels in the body begin to rise, for example, the autonomic nervous system calls for an
increase in respiratory rate.
Another automatic response by the nervous system is the reflex. The body reacts in a
predetermined way based on specific stimulus. This may be a practiced response or a
pre-programmed one. The stretch reflex (or myotatic reflex) is one of those responses.
What is the Stretch Reflex?
The stretch reflex (also called the myotatic reflex, the muscle stretch reflex and
sometimes the knee-jerk reflex), is a pre-programmed response by the body to a stretch
stimulus in the muscle. When a muscle spindle is stretched an impulse is immediately
sent to the spinal cord and a response to contract the muscle is received. Since the
impulse only has to go to the spinal cord and back, not all the way to the brain, it is a
very quick impulse. It generally occurs within 1-2 milliseconds.

The stretch reflex is designed as a protective mechanism for the muscles, to prevent
tearing. The muscle spindle is stretched and the impulse is also immediately received to
contract the muscle, protecting it from being pulled forcefully or beyond a normal
range.
The synergistic muscles, those that produce the same movement, are also innervated
when the stretch reflex is activated. This further strengthens the contraction and
prevents injury. At the same time, the stretch reflex has an inhibitory aspect to the

Side note: The deep tendon reflex (sometimes referred to as the golgi tendon reflex)
helps prevent injury by enabling a muscle to respond to increases in tension. If a
muscle is put under excessive tension (contraction) the golgi tendon organs (GTO’s)
are eflex is set much excited and the deep tendon reflex is activated, which causes the
muscles to relax, thereby protecting the muscle from being over stretched or torn. Note
that in day-to-day movement, tension in the muscles is not sufficient to activate the
GTO’s deep tendon reflex. By contract, the threshold of the muscle spindle stretch is
much lower.
antagonist muscles. When the stretch reflex is activated the impulse is sent from the
stretched muscle spindle and the motor neuron is split so that the signal to contract
can be sent to the stretched muscle, while a signal to relax can be sent to the
antagonist muscles. Without this inhibitory action, as soon as the stretched muscle
began to contract the antagonist muscle would be stretched causing a stretch reflex in
that one. Both muscles would end up contracting simultaneously.

Examples of the Stretch Reflex in action

The stretch reflex is very important in posture. It helps maintain proper posturing
because a slight lean to either side causes a stretch in the spinal, hip and leg muscles to
the other side, which is quickly countered by the stretch reflex. This is a constant
process of adjusting and maintaining. The body is constantly under push and pull forces
from the outside, one of which is the force of gravity.
Another example of the stretch reflex is the knee-jerk test performed by physicians.
When the patellar tendon is tapped with a small hammer, or other device, it causes a
slight stretch in the tendon, and consequently the quadriceps muscles. The result is a
quick, although mild, contraction of the quadriceps muscles, resulting in a small kicking
motion.

Anatomy of the Stretch Reflex

Located within the belly of the muscle, between and parallel to the main muscle fibers,
are muscle spindles. These muscle spindles are made up of spiral threads called
intrafusal fibers, and nerve endings, both encased within a connective tissue sheath.
These spindles monitor the speed at which a muscle is lengthened and are very sensitive
to stretch.
If a muscle is stretched (lengthened) too far or too quickly the muscle spindles are
excited and the stretch reflex is activated, which causes the muscles to contract,
thereby protecting the muscle from being over stretched or torn.
These impulses travel from the spinal cord to the muscle and back again in a continuous
loop. Conscious movement comes from impulses in the brain travelling down the spinal
cord, over this loop, and then back to the brain for processing. The stretch reflex skips
the brain portion of the trip and follows the simple loop from muscle to spinal cord and
back, making it a very rapid sequence.

The diagram to the right shows how nerve impulses triggered by the stretch reflex travel
between the spinal column and the muscles.

The gamma efferent cells in the loop work to keep the muscles ready for the stretch
reflex, even when inhibited or contracted. This is important because if the muscle is
working against a load and shortening during contraction and an additional load is
added, the muscle recognizes the stretch immediately and can compensate with a
stronger contraction. This also protects the inhibited antagonist muscles from being
injured from excessive stretching.
Important: The length of time that a stretch is held for has nothing to do with whether
the stretch reflex is activated or not. Don’t let anyone tell you that the stretch reflex is
not activated because the stretch is only held for one or two seconds. The stretch reflex
in the calf muscle for example is triggered within 3 hundredths of a second, so any
claim that a particular type of stretching can somehow bypass or outsmart the stretch
reflex is nothing more than fantasy.

What Activates the Stretch Reflex?

The stretch reflex is activated (or caused) by a stretch in the muscle spindle. When the
stretch impulse is received a rapid sequence of events follows. The motor neuron is
activated and the stretched muscles, and its supporting muscles, are contracted while its
antagonist muscles are inhibited (relaxed).
The stretch reflex can be activated by external forces (such as a load placed on the
muscle) or internal forces (the motor neurons being stimulated from within.) An
example of the former is a person holding an empty tray in their outstretched arm and
 then having a plate of food set on it. The stretch reflex would kick in to keep the tray at
the same height and balanced. An example of the latter would be the shivering of a cold
muscle. The motor neurons are stimulated from an internal “stretch” to warm the
muscles.
Any abrupt, forceful stretch on the muscle causes the stretch reflex to fire, in a healthy
person. Delays in or absence of the stretch reflex are signs of possible neurological or
neuromuscular compromise.

Avoiding the Stretch Reflex

Many people have never learnt how to stretch properly. Maybe you have done this
yourself: You watch other people stretch in the gym and try to imitate what you see. But
who is to say that the person you are watching is doing it right? Here are some of the
most common mistakes made while stretching:
 Bouncing. Many people have the mistaken impression that they should bounce to
get a good stretch. Bouncing will not help you and could do more damage as you try
to push too far beyond the stretch reflex. Every move you make should be smooth and
gentle. Lean into the stretch gradually, push to the point of mild tension and hold.
Each time going a little further, but never forcing it.

 Not holding the stretch long enough. If you do not hold the stretch long enough,
you may fall into the habit of bouncing or rushing through your stretch workout. Hold
your stretch position for at least 15 to 20 seconds (and up to 60 seconds for even
better results) before moving back to your original position.

 Pushing the stretch too hard. Stretching takes patience and finesse. Each move
needs to be fluid and gentle. Do not throw your body into a stretch or try to rush
through your routine. Take your time and relax.
 Forgetting form and function. Think about your sport or activity. Which
muscles will you be using? A routine for a marathon runner will be very different
from a routine for an hour of lifting weights. Pay attention to the muscles you will
need to use in your program and make sure your form for each stretch is attained
properly. Consider the range of motion you will be putting that particular muscle
through. The whole point of stretching is getting your muscles accustomed to moving
through a specific range of motion, so if the muscle is not used to going that far, you
may end up with an injury.

So, to avoid the stretch reflex and potential damage to your muscles and joints, avoid
pain. Never push yourself beyond what is comfortable. Only stretch to the point where
you can feel tension in your muscles. This way, you will avoid injury and get the
maximum benefits from your stretching.