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Muscle Performance Exercises: Muscle Performance Is Affected by All Systems of The Body
Muscle Performance Exercises: Muscle Performance Is Affected by All Systems of The Body
Muscle Performance
Muscle Performance refers to the capacity of the muscle to do work. The
key elements of muscle performance are strength, power and endurance.
In order to improve muscle performance all these three aspects should be
regarded.
Muscle Strength: is the ability to produce tension and the resultant force based
on the demands placed upon the muscle.
Muscle strength is expressed as the greatest measurable force that can be
exerted by a muscle or muscle group to overcome resistance during a single,
maximal effort.
Muscle Power: is the rate of performing work. It is the work (force X distance)
produced by a muscle per unit of time (force X distance / time)
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Muscular endurance: The ability of muscle to perform a greater number of
contraction or hold against a load over an extended period of time.
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Isometric Exercises
Definition
Isometric exercise also known as static exercise. It is exercise which
involves muscular contractions without movement of the involved parts of the
body. So it involves muscular contractions against a load which is fixed or
immovable or is simply too much to overcome.
Isometric comes from the Greek "iso-", equal + "metron", measure =
maintaining the same measure, dimension or length.
Sources of resistance:
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As muscle setting is not performed against any appreciable resistance, it will
not improve muscle strength except in very weak muscles
Importance
1- Muscle setting can retard muscle atrophy in the stage of rehabilitation of
a muscle when immobilization is necessary.
2- It is used to promote muscle relaxation and circulation and to decrease
muscle pain and spasm after injury to soft tissues during the acute stage
of healing.
3- Muscle setting maintain mobility between muscle fibers as they heal.
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2- Isometric exercise also increases intra abdominal pressure to
dangerously high levels.
3- Be wear to instruct the patient not to hold breathing during
isometric exercise to avoid valsalva maneuver.
Points to remember
Muscular strength is only at the specific angle at which the exercise is
performed. Hence, to make isometric exercise effective at increasing
functional strength it must be repeated at many different joint angles.
Isometric exercise does not increase muscular endurance or functional
capacity in real world situation as dynamic exercise
Isometric improvements have also been shown to be rate specific.
Isometric exercise is best effective at slower movements
Isometric exercises on their own are not recommended for strength
training. They are only part of a complete exercise program.
The great thing about isometric exercises is they can be performed just
about anywhere and at any time.
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Clinical Application of Isometric Exercises
Principles of Application
To achieve effect, it's necessary to maintain isometric contraction for 6
to10 seconds.
The exercise should be repeated 5 to 10 times.
Any one isometric exercise will only increase muscle strength at one
joint angle. Strengthening the other joint positions requires repetition of
further corresponding exercises.
Allow a period of rest following each sets of contraction to avoid
fatigue.
Quadriceps Setting (Fig. 1)
Patient position: supine lying. Involved lower limb straight and the other
lower limb may be flexed or straight.
Order: Keeping your knee straight, tighten your thigh muscle by pushing the
back of your knee down on the bed. Hold for a count of 5. Relax. Do 20
repetitions.
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Fig. (2): Short arc quadriceps.
Straight Leg Raising (Fig. 3)
Patient Position: supine Lying. The unexercised limb may be flexed for
relaxation of the back. The exercised limb is straight.
Order: slowly lift your leg up, making sure to lift the heel first. Lift only as
high as your other leg. Now slowly lower your leg back down. Do not hold. Do
20 repetitions.