Originally Posted by westla90069
- what exactly are the ligaments?
The penis has two ligaments that help keep it centered and upright when erect: the fundiform and the suspensory. The fundiform attaches to the lower abdominal fascia and encircles the base of the penis in a sling. The suspensory attaches to the pubic bone (deeper than the fundiform) and attaches in a web like fashion to the top midline of the penis at the base.
Excellent links, westla. From the google search I found 2 different pages and these quotes caught my eyes:
”Viscoelastic Behavior
Viscoelasticity is the time-dependent response of tissues to a load.3 If the stress placed on a ligament is within its elastic range, it is able to spring back after loading. The more elastic the collagen is, the better the ligament is at returning to its original length when a load stress is removed. When a ligament is loaded beyond its elastic range, it enters the plastic (viscous) range. Plasticity is the tendency of a material (or tissue) to permanently deform when the load goes beyond the elastic range.
The relative proportion of elasticity and plastic deformation varies with the stretching conditions, especially the amount and duration of applied force. A constant low load applied to soft tissues over a prolonged period demonstrates the phenomenon called creep. This is the steady deformation that occurs over a period of time. One example of this is the loss of an individual's height, which occurs during the day due to temporary deformation of the spinal discs.4 When creep goes beyond the tissue's elastic capability into its plastic range, permanent plastic deformation is the result.”
Read: “The relative proportion of elasticity and plastic deformation varies with the stretching conditions, especially the amount and duration of applied force. A constant low load applied to soft tissues over a prolonged period demonstrates the phenomenon called creep. This is the steady deformation that occurs over a period of time.”
That answers my question (in a general sense) about Tension/Time. Using higher tensions will yield plastic deformation in less time than low-level tension, which will rely on “creep” to achieve plasticity.
I think that heat application can/will help, as will stategic breaks for deconditioning. So, I would assume that the tension level should be that of a BPFS. And on dual fulcrum stretches, pull until your hands are feeling the shake. Another approach for safety (and perhaps effectiveness) might be a multi-stage stretch: maybe a 2- or 3-minute set where you pull at about 80% tension the 1st part, 100% BPFS the 2nd part, then pull like hell for the 3rd part - the “home stretch.”
“There are two fundamental types of stretch that occur. These are referred to as elastic and plastic.
An elastic stretch is a “spring-like” action in which any lengthening of the connective tissue that occurs during stretching is recovered when the load is removed. This makes elastic stretch a momentary condition. In contrast, the elongation that occurs in a plastic stretch remains, even after the load is removed, making a more permanent aftereffect.
Muscle has only elastic properties, whereas ligaments and tendons have both plastic and elastic properties. As connective tissue is stretched, some of the lengthening transpires in the elastic tissue elements and some in the plastic elements. When the stretch is removed, the elastic deformation recovers, but the plastic deformation remains.
This reveals that stretching procedures should primarily be premeditated to produce a plastic deformation, as a permanent increase in ROM is the objective.
When stretching, the proportion of elastic and plastic deformation can vary, depending on how and under what conditions the flexibility training occurs.
Emphasizing stretching to the position of mild distress (defined as intensity level), holding the selected stretched arrangement for a period of time (defined as duration) and stretching only when the core temperature has been elevated will support plastic stretch!
“Warm-up” and static stretching are not synonymous, as static stretching does little in the way of increasing body temperatures. “Warm-up” is an activity that raises the total body temperature, as well as the temperature of the muscles, to prepare the body for intense exercise. The increase in tissue temperature that occurs during warm-up is the result of three physiological processes (Anderson, B., and E.R. Burke. pp. 63-86).”
I think their admonition to stretch to the position of “mild distress” has more to do with the fact that joints are always involved (knee, rotator cuff, etc.). Furthermore, an athlete does NOT want extreme plasticity of ligaments to occur or there would be dangerous instability of those joints. In some athletic endeavors, an overstretched joint could be disasterous.
And there’s the heat factor again. I don’t think the “total body temperature” is relevant to our endeavors, but the localized temperature increase (penis & pubic region) is….hence the value of the hot wraps.
