Injury and disease can damage muscle strength, tone and coordination.
Physical therapy is the primary means that is employed in muscle reeducation. Universal Home Care clinical staff understands the requirements of the physical therapy that needs to be undergone if a patient is to reeducate their muscles to regain mobility and independence.
When a muscle is injured or wasted due to illness, the muscle can sit in a position of total inactivity for a long time. When the patient is healthy enough to begin moving again, the muscle may not be able to perform the motion due to its weakness.
Because movement occurs through the contraction of one muscle and the relaxation of at least one other, the first step is to teach any contracted muscles to relax in order to regain a specific motion. This is done by positioning the patient in such a way that gravity can cause the muscles to relax. If contrary muscles are contracted, the wasted muscle will not be able to perform the desired movement.
Often, the limb will be moved through the desired motion through some sort of physical or mechanical assist. This helps the body’s ability to move the muscle. If the muscle can no longer make a desired movement, the muscle must relearn how to contract in a specific way.
Once the muscle is capable of making the motion, no matter how small, the process of strengthening begins. Exercise is the primary tool of increasing muscle strength, but massage is also used to reinvigorate a dormant muscle and to spur it to growth and development.
