| MUSCLE WEAKNESS | | | | healed the muscles will recover in response to the |
| If a muscle is not given any work to do each little | | | | amount of work they are asked to do. If the limb is |
| muscle fibre becomes thinner and the whole muscle | | | | favoured then the muscle will never recover its normal |
| begins to lose its strength. Some groups of muscles | | | | function. After a period in bed, during which time the leg |
| become weak faster than others. When a footballer | | | | muscles have been completely inactive, one feels |
| has a knee injury his quadriceps, the muscles on the | | | | weak at the knees when up. Stay in bed too long and |
| front of his thigh get weak very rapidly. These muscles | | | | the muscle fibres become so weak that one wouldn't |
| need exercising early on in order to increase their | | | | even be able to stand up. So in the case of a long |
| strength so that he can return to his team as soon as | | | | illness or a long-term injury the muscles have to be |
| possible. It is also very important that all patients are | | | | given specific work to do to build up and restore the |
| given exercises to restore muscle strength as soon as | | | | power required for every day living. In so many cases, |
| possible and so minimise the amount of weakness that | | | | due to the absence of specific exercises, a |
| occurs. These early exercises, therefore, have to be | | | | compromise is struck and the body has to make do. |
| carefully designed so as to complement the other | | | | People are heard to say - I've never had any strength |
| Physio techniques. Exercises are needed for all the | | | | in my back since my accident - my shoulder has |
| muscle groups in the affected area and they are | | | | always been weak since the car crash - that's my |
| adapted to suit each patient's requirements. | | | | bad leg - I'm always going over on that ankle - I've |
| Ideally exercises are part of the ongoing treatment | | | | never been able to open a jar with that hand since I |
| once the initial pain has subsided. Muscles only respond | | | | broke my wrist - etc. etc. |
| to the demands placed on them. When an injury has | | | | |