Which stretching technique emphasizes lengthening with gentle end-range pressure and uses a short hold to prevent activation of muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs?

• A. MET
• B. Post Isometric Relaxation
• C. Active Isolated Stretching
• D. CRAC

Answer: (C)

Active Isolated Stretching centers on lengthening a muscle through brief, controlled holds at the end range with gentle pressure, performed in short cycles. Each stretch is held only briefly—about 1 to 2 seconds—then released and repeated through the range several times. This pattern keeps the stretch within limits that are less likely to trigger the muscle spindle reflex, so you can lengthen tissue without a strong protective contraction. The emphasis is on actively moving into the end range and using small, repeated steps to accumulate length, rather than holding a stretch for a long time or forcing a contraction. The other methods rely more on longer holds or on isometric contractions to provoke reflexes or inhibition via the Golgi tendon organs, which doesn’t align with the brief, end-range, gentle-pressure approach of this technique.