Reciprocal Inhibition to Relieve Muscle Cramping - Sports Massage Instructor Demonstration

Reciprocal inhibition is the automatic antagonist alpha motor neurone inhibition which is evoked by contraction of the agonist muscle1.

The "natural" actional of reciprocal inhibition allows an opposing muscle to relax when its antagonist is contracted.

Knowing techniques to relieve muscle cramps, especially during sports massage, is a valuable skill for sports massage therapists.  Muscle cramping usually occurs in athletes when they are competing in heat, unable to adequately hydrate, and overusing their muscles, especially in repetitive exercise such as running, bicycling and other sports. 

In this training video, you can view an instructor demonstration of how reciprocal inhibition is practiced for both the quadricep and hamstring muscles of the upper thigh: 

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1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8299401/#:~:text=Reciprocal%20inhibition%20is%20the%20automatic,the%20control%20of%20voluntary%20movements.