Muscle Length

Question 1

Full ROM across a joint are dependent on 2 components?

Answer 1

Joint ROM

Muscle Length

Question 2

How is muscle length tested?

Answer 2

Determining maximal passive ROM of joint

Question 3

What is muscle length/flexibility?

Answer 3

Ability of muscle crossing joint to lengthen, so a joint can move through available ROM

Question 4

Muscle length refers to elongation or lengthening of the muscle to permit what?

Answer 4

FULL joint ROM

Question 5

If a muscle passes over a single joint, joint ROM and muscle length will be?

Answer 5

The same

EX: pectoralis major

Question 6

If a muscle passes over 2 or more joints, muscle length and elongation will be what?

Answer 6

Less than total ROM of the joints over which the muscle passes

EX: knee flexion in prone vs supine

Question 7

What is static muscle length?

Answer 7

Passive ROM available to a joint or series of joints

Can be measured using a goniometer. EX: touch touch, sit and reach

Question 8

A decrease in static flexibility indicates what?

Answer 8

Loss of motion

Question 9

What is dynamic muscle length?

Answer 9

Defined as degree to which force of a muscle contraction can move a joint

Question 10

What is an important measurement to dynamic flexibility?

Answer 10

Stiffness!

Question 11

What is stiffness?

Answer 11

Mechanical term= resistance of a structure to deformation

Question 12

What is muscle tightness?

Answer 12

Mild decrease in muscle length after sitting for short periods of time or after exercise.

Question 13

What is adaptive shortening?

Answer 13

loss in flexibility that develops in muscles that are maintained in loss of shortened position.

Question 14

Contracture?

Answer 14

Marked decrease in length of muscle leading to big loss of ROM

Requires prolonged period of limited joint motion.

Question 15

How does weakening of tissue lead to immobilization?

Answer 15

collagen turnover and bond weakening, with disorganization of new collagen fibers.

Question 16

How does sedentary living lead to immobilization?

Answer 16

reduction in size and number of collagen fibers

Question 17

How does corticosteroid use lead to immobilization?

Answer 17

decrease in collagen fiber tensile strength

Question 18

How about gender?

Answer 18

Females are more flexible than males

Question 19

Age?

Answer 19

Weakening of collagen fibers

Question 20

Temperature?

Answer 20

As temperature rises, connective tissue is more pliable. for more elongation.

Question 21

In increase in temperature of ___% can lead to flexibility changes?

Answer 21

20%, reason for warmups!

Question 22

What is the optimal range for muscle elongation?

Answer 22

102-110 degrees F

Question 23

What 3 ways can you assess flexibility?

Answer 23

Actively, Passively, and through a composite assessment.

Question 24

When is it appropriate to use muscle length testing?

Answer 24

Loss of ROM or flexibility.

Soft tissue injury, overuse injury or disease

Question 25

When is it NOT appropriate to use muscle length testing

Answer 25

Acute soft tissue or joint injury. Acute neurological trauma.

Question 26

What 3 factors that influence passive ROM?

Answer 26

Muscle length, integrity of joint surfaces, and extensibility of a capsule, ligaments, fascia and skin

Question 27

When a muscle length of an antagonistic muscle is NOT sufficient to allow agonist to move joint or joints through full ROM, even with a maximal contraction of the agonist

Answer 27

passive insuffiency.

Question 28

What is the protocol for testing muscle length?

Answer 28

Patient is in correct position

PT will determine whether or not active or passive testing will be done.

Muscle being assessed is placed in a fully elongated position.

Palpate bony landmark used to align goniometer.