Week 4 - ROM and Stretching Flashcards
Range of motion (ROM)
A measure of the full motion possible of a limb or joint
Active range of motion (AROM)
The movement of a segment within the unrestricted ROM that is produced by active contraction of the muscles that cross that joint
Active assistive range of motion (AAROM)
A type of AROM in which manual or mechanical assistance is provided by an outside force because the prime movers need the assistance
Passive range of motion (PROM)
Movement of a segment within the unrestricted ROM that is produced entirely by an external force; there is little to no voluntary muscle contraction
Self-assisted ROM (S-ROM)
PROM or A-AROM achieved through a variety of devices or use of an uninvolved extremity
Continuous passive motion (CPM)
Passive motion performed by a mechanical device that moves a joint slowly and continuously through a controlled ROM.
Mobility
The ability of body structures or segments to move so that range of motion (ROM) for functional activities is allowed.
Flexibility
Ability to rotate a single joint or series of joints smoothly and easily through an unrestricted, pain-free ROM.
Dynamic flexibility
The extent to which an active muscle contraction can rotate a joint through its available ROM. Dynamic flexibility depends on the ability of a muscle to contract through the ROM and on the degree and quality of tissue extensibility
Passive flexibility
The extent to which a joint can be passively rotated through its available ROM and depends on the extensibility of soft tissues that cross and surround a joint. Passive flexibility is a prerequisite for—but does not ensure—dynamic flexibility.
Hypomobility
Decreased mobility or restricted motion at a single joint or series of joints.
Hypermobility
Excessive mobility of a single joint or series of joints.
Contracture
Adaptive shortening of the muscle-tendon unit and other soft tissues that cross or surround a joint, resulting in significant resistance to passive or active stretch and limited ROM
Tightness
Describes restricted motion due to adaptive shortening of soft tissue, in particular mild muscle shortening
Muscle tightness
Used to denote adaptive shortening of the contractile and noncontractile elements of muscle
Contraction
The process of active tension developing in a muscle during shortening or lengthening
Myostatic (myogenic) contracture
Contracture with no specific muscle pathology present. From a morphological perspective, although there may be a reduction in the number of sarcomere units in series, there is no decrease in individual sarcomere length. Myostatic contractures can be resolved in a relatively short time with stretching exercises.
Pseudomyostatic contracture
A contracture that is the result of hypertonicity (i.e., spasticity or rigidity) associated with a central nervous system lesion. Muscle spasm or guarding and pain may also cause a pseudomyostatic contracture. In both situations, the involved muscles appear to be in a constant state of contraction, giving rise to excessive resistance to passive stretch.
Arthrogenic contracture
A contracture that is the result of intra-articular pathology. These changes may include adhesions, synovial proliferation, joint effusion, irregularities in articular cartilage, or osteophyte formation.
Periarticular contracture
Develops when connective tissues that cross or attach to a joint or the joint capsule lose mobility, restricting normal arthrokinematic motion.
Fibrotic contracture
Fibrous changes in the connective tissue of muscle and periarticular structures can cause adherence of these tissues and subsequent development of a contracture. Although it is possible to stretch a fibrotic contracture and eventually increase ROM, it is often difficult to re-establish optimal tissue length, making the changes irreversible.
Elastic
Returns to its pre-stretch resting length directly after a short-duration stretch force is removed
Viscoelastic
A time-dependent property of soft tissue. A viscoelastic tissue initially resists deformation, such as a change in length, when a stretch force is applied but will slowly lengthen if the force is sustained. The viscoelastic tissue will gradually return to its pre-stretch configuration after the stretch force is removed
Plasticity
The tendency of soft tissue to assume a new and greater length after a stretch force is removed
