Muscle performance and length Unit 3

What is the purpose of muscle performance testing?

It is vital for diagnosis, identifying causes of activity/participation limitations, and creating personalized rehabilitation programs.

What are the direct effects of muscle performance deficits?

Limited muscle performance directly produces a functional deficit, such as inability to lift a child due to upper extremity weakness.

What includes the factors negatively affecting muscle performance?

Disease, injury, immobility, and disuse, which can lead to atrophy, weakness, and loss of endurance/power.

What is the definition of muscle performance?

It measures the ability of a muscle to do work, where Work = Force x Distance.

What are the main elements of muscle performance?

Strength, Power, and Endurance.

What is muscle strength?

The ability of a muscle to produce tension and resultant force.

What defines maximal strength?

The greatest measurable force exerted during a single maximal effort.

What factors influence muscle strength?

Cross-sectional area, length-tension relationship, motor unit recruitment, type of muscle contraction, muscle fiber types, energy stores & oxygenation, speed of contraction, and psychological factors.

Which contraction type produces the greatest force?

Eccentric contraction against resistance.

What are the two types of muscle fibers?

Type II (fast-twitch) and Type I (slow-twitch).

What is muscle power defined as?

The rate of performing work, calculated as Power = Force x Velocity.

What example demonstrates muscle power?

Performing 10 sit-to-stand movements in 10 seconds shows more power than taking 20 seconds.

What is the clinical significance of muscle power?

Power declines with age and is associated with loss of function, making its assessment critical for fall prevention and independence.

What is muscular endurance?

The ability of a muscle or muscle groups to sustain exercise.

What are the two types of endurance mentioned in the notes?

Cardiopulmonary endurance and muscular endurance.

What is the gold standard for measuring muscle strength?

The 1 Repetition Maximum (1RM) Test.

What does Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) assess?

It assesses specific muscle or muscle group strength using therapist manual resistance.

What are Make Testing and Break Testing in MMT?

Make Testing applies just enough force to prevent movement, while Break Testing applies enough force to overcome resistance, causing joint movement.

What does a score of 2/5 indicate in MMT grading?

Full Range of Motion (ROM) in a gravity-eliminated position.

What does a score of 5/5 indicate in MMT grading?

Full ROM against gravity, maximal resistance.

What do the terms 'agonist' and 'antagonist' refer to?

Agonist is the muscle producing a movement, while antagonist is the muscle producing the opposite movement.

What is active insufficiency?

When a muscle is no longer able to generate effective force due to being in a shortened position.

What can be deduced if a muscle tests weak and painful?

It indicates moderate to severe tendon or muscle injury.

What might a strong and pain-free test result imply?

Contractile tissues are functioning normally.

What is the significance of bilateral testing?

It allows for comparison of strength and symptoms between both sides of the body.

What should be assessed if a patient experiences pain during MMT?

The location of the pain to determine the cause, whether muscle, tendon, or joint-related.

What does the ceiling effect in MMT refer to?

The therapist may be unable to provide enough resistance for very strong muscles.

What may occur due to therapeutic manipulation of test position in MMT?

It can help isolate two-joint or multi-joint muscles to assess other muscles more accurately.

What is the goal of muscle performance testing in rehabilitation?

To create personalized rehabilitation programs tailored to individual needs.

What are some clinical functional tests for assessing muscular endurance?

Tests such as how long a person can run to fatigue or hold a weight before fatigue.

What does a strong and painful test result suggest?

Mild tendon or muscle pathology.

What type of contraction is most common when a muscle shortens while generating force?

Concentric contraction.

What role do psychological factors play in muscle performance?

They can negatively affect effort and strength.

What is the length-tension relationship?

It refers to the greatest contraction occurring in a slightly lengthened position of the muscle.

How does motor unit recruitment influence muscle strength?

A greater number of motor units recruited leads to a greater force output.

What does isometric contraction involve?

Muscle length remains the same while generating force/tension with no joint movement.

What can an MMT reveal about muscle imbalances?

It can reveal imbalances between synergists or antagonistic muscles.

What type of testing assesses strength, power, and endurance using an isokinetic device?

Isokinetic Testing.

What does a score of 1/5 on the MMT scale indicate?

Slight contraction felt, no movement.

What physiological systems are involved in muscle performance?

Nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems.

Why is it important to assess muscle endurance from both muscular and cardiopulmonary perspectives?

Because both contribute to the overall ability to sustain physical activity.

What is the significance of positioning in MMT for two-joint muscles?

They should be tested in the middle of their range of motion to avoid active insufficiency.

What factors can lead to significant weakness during muscle testing?

Pain, disuse, or neurological deficits.

What are standardized functional tests designed to measure?

They measure muscular endurance through specific duration or task criteria.

What does the term 'substitution' refer to in MMT?

Altered movements or muscle recruitment that creates unintentional force from non-target muscles.

How does the body respond to increased speed of contraction?

Lower speeds produce greater torque/force due to more opportunity for fiber recruitment.

What happens when pain occurs during an Active Range of Motion (AROM) test?

It may implicate a contractile structure in the injury.

What is the importance of proprioceptive factors in muscle testing outcomes?

They affect the accuracy of strength assessments.

How can muscle performance testing assist in fall prevention strategies?

By identifying deficits in muscle strength or power that could lead to falls.

What type of testing provides numerical force output values?

Quantification using handheld dynamometers.

What does the term 'synergists' refer to in muscle actions?

Muscles that assist a muscle's action during movement.

How might age affect muscular endurance and function?

It typically declines with age, leading to decreased function and increased injury risk.

What could mild muscle pathology result in?

It could lead to a strong and painful outcome during strength testing.

What does 'fixation' mean in the context of muscle testing?

It maintains the stability of the proximal attachment site of a contracting muscle.

Why is it critical to document pain occurrence during MMT?

Because pain affects muscle function and test results.

What impact does decreased muscle power have on daily activities?

It can lead to increased difficulty in performing everyday tasks and activities.

How does energy stores and oxygenation impact muscle performance?

Greater stores and oxygenation lead to better muscle performance.

What physiological contribution allows a muscle to sustain contractions over time?

Muscle endurance relies heavily on both energy availability and cardiovascular efficiency.

What is the role of manual resistance in Manual Muscle Testing?

It is applied by a therapist to assess strength and function of specific muscles or muscle groups.

What are the core assumptions of Manual Muscle Testing?

It allows therapists to estimate relative muscle strength based on clinical observations.

What is a 6-minute walk test an example of?

A standardized functional test measuring muscular endurance.

What does the acronym MMT stand for?

Manual Muscle Testing.

What does a 4/5 grade indicate in Manual Muscle Testing?

Full ROM against gravity with moderate resistance.

Why is medical documentation important during muscle performance testing?

To provide a legal record and track changes or improvements over time.

What should be noted if a patient experiences pain with AROM but not with PROM?

This typically implicates a contractile structure as the source of pain.

What does muscle integrity testing help determine?

It assesses significant weaknesses and pain during contraction.

What is the aim of functional tests in the context of muscle performance?

To evaluate real-life physical capabilities and endurance.

What might a weak and pain-free test result suggest in Manual Muscle Testing (MMT)?

It often indicates a neurological deficit or chronic disuse atrophy, rather than an acute contractile injury.

How does the cross-sectional area of a muscle influence its strength?

A larger cross-sectional area generally means a greater number of muscle fibers, which can produce more force, leading to increased strength.

What is an eccentric contraction?

A type of muscle contraction where the muscle lengthens under tension, often acting as a 'braking' force against gravity or resistance, and can generate the greatest force.

What is a concentric contraction?

A type of muscle contraction where the muscle shortens while generating force, causing movement at a joint.

What defines an isometric contraction?

A type of muscle contraction where the muscle generates force or tension without changing length and without causing movement at a joint.

What is the primary role of an agonist muscle?

The agonist, or prime mover, is the muscle primarily responsible for producing a specific movement at a joint.

What is the primary role of an antagonist muscle?

The antagonist muscle opposes the action of the agonist, relaxing to allow movement or contracting to control movement.

What is cardiopulmonary endurance?

The ability of the heart and lungs to deliver oxygen and nutrients to working muscles over a sustained period during submaximal exercise.

What is the clinical benefit of therapeutically manipulating test positions in MMT?

It helps to isolate specific muscles, especially two-joint or multi-joint muscles, allowing for more accurate assessment by minimizing substitution or undesired movements.

How do immobility and disuse negatively affect muscle performance?

They lead to muscle atrophy, weakness, and a reduction in endurance and power, impacting functional abilities.

Explain the role of motor unit recruitment in generating muscle strength.

The greater the number of motor units recruited, and the higher their firing frequency, the greater the force output and thus muscle strength.

What is the impact of proprioceptive factors on muscle testing outcomes?

Proprioceptive factors, such as the body's sense of position and movement, can influence the accuracy of strength assessments and muscle control during testing.

What does the 1 Repetition Maximum (1RM) test measure?

The maximal load a muscle or muscle group can lift one time through the full range of motion, representing maximal strength.

What is a key benefit of using handheld dynamometers in muscle performance testing?

They provide objective, quantifiable numerical values of force output, allowing for precise measurement and tracking of strength changes over time.