Foundations Exam 2 Study Guide
Mobility (CH 33)
Mobility: being able to move or be moved
Immobility: unable to move
Exercise: physical activity, good for mobility and maintaining health
Role of the Skeletal System in Movement
o Supports the soft tissues of the body
o Protects crucial components of the body (brain, lung, heart, spinal cord)
o Furnishes surfaces for the attachment of muscles, tendons, and ligaments
o Provides storage areas for minerals (ex; calcium) and fat
o Produces blood cells (hematopoiesis)
Types and Functions of Muscles
o Types:
Skeletal; voluntary
Works with tendons and bones to move the body
Cardiac; involuntary
Forms the bulk of the heart and produces the contractions to create
the heartbeat
Smooth or Visceral; unvoluntary
Forms the walls of the hollow organs, also in the walls of blood
vessels and other hollow tubes (ex; ureters) that connects internal
organs
o Functions
Motion- skeletal muscle contractions pull on tendons and move the bones,
creating movements as simple as extending the arm to as highly
coordinated as swimming or skiing
Maintenance of posture- skeletal muscle contractions hold the body in
stationary positions
Support- skeletal muscles support soft tissues in the abdominal wall and
floor of the pelvic cavity
Heat production- skeletal muscle contractions produce heat and help
maintain body temperature
Effects of Nervous System on Muscle Contraction
o Nerve impulses stimulate muscles to contract:
Neurons conduct impulses from one part of the body to another
The afferent nervous system conveys information from receptors in the
periphery of the body to the CNS
E.g., light pressure on nose
Afferent = sensory, to the brain
Information is processed by the CNS leading to a response
E.g., “There is a fly on my nose. I want to brush it off”
Efferent neurons convey the response from the CNS to skeletal muscles by
way of the somatic nervous system
E.g., muscles in the arm, wrist, and hand contract, and the fingers
brush the fly from the nose
, Efferent = motor, exits the brain
o If there is a brain damage, then there will damage to the motor function
Normal Movement and Alignment
o Body alignment and Posture
Good posture, or proper body alignment is the alignment of body parts
that permits optimal musculoskeletal balance and operation and promotes
healthy physiologic functioning
A person in correct alignment is experiencing no undue strain on the
joints, muscles, tendons, or ligaments while balance is maintained
Center of gravity is stable (center of pelvis)
o Balance
A body in correct alignment is balanced
An object is balanced when its center of gravity is close to its base of
support, the line of gravity goes through the base of support, and the
object has a wide base of support
When the human is standing, the center of gravity is located in the center
of the pelvis about midway between the umbilicus and the symphysis
pubis
The wider the base of support (wide stance) and the lower the center of
gravity, the greater the stability of the object will be
o Coordinated body movement
The ability of muscles to work together for purposeful movement
o Client care ergonomics
Ergonomics: the practice of designing equipment and work tasks to
conform to the capability of the worker and provides a means for adjusting
the work environment and work practices to prevent injuries (OSHA)
The use of proper body positions and avoidance of awkward postures
provide protection from the stress of movement and activity
Patient care ergonomics: the practice of designing equipment and work
tasks to conform to the capability of the worker in relation to the patient
o Postural Reflexes
Group of reflexes (automatic movements) that maintain body position and
equilibrium, whether at rest or during movement
Labyrinthine sense: the sensory organs in the inner ear provide this sense
of position, orientation, and movement.
Body movement (e.g., changes in head position) simulates the
sensory organs, which then transmit these impulses to the
cerebellum
Proprioceptor or Kinesthetic Sense: this informs the brain of the location
or body part as a result of joint movements stimulating special nerve
endings in muscles, tendons, and fascia
Visual or Optic reflexes: visual impressions contribute to posture by
alerting the person to spatial relationships with the environment
Nearness of ceilings, walls, furniture, condition of floor, etc
Extensor or Stretch reflexes: when extensor muscles are stretched
beyond a certain point (e.g., when knees buckle under), their stimulation
, causes a reflex contraction that aids a person to reestablish erect posture
(e.g., straighten knee)
Factors influencing movement and alignment
o Developmental considerations
Depends on age; a person’s age and degree of neuromuscular development
markedly influence body proportions, posture, body mass, movements,
and reflexes
As you get older, your center of gravity compromises
o Physical health
Problems in the musculoskeletal or nervous systems can have a negative
influence on body alignment and movement
Illness or trauma involving other body systems may interfere with
movement because of either the underlying pathology or the
treatment regimen
Ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) or self-care activities
o Mental health
A person’s mental health influences body appearance and movement as
much as the person’s physical health
Body processes tend to slow down in depression, and there is a lack of
visible energy and enthusiasm body posture may be affected
Shoulders slumped, lacks energy to eat or to even use the toilet, no
emotion
o Lifestyle
Activity/exercise of the person depending on their lifestyle
o Attitude and values
Individual values influence the exercise options people make
o Fatigue and stress
Chronic stress may deplete body energy to the point that fatigue makes
even the thought of exercise overwhelming
o External factors
Weather, natural disasters & air pollution, pandemic, financial resources,
living in a dangerous place
Types of exercises – exercise is divided into two major types:
o Muscle contraction
Isotonic exercise: muscle shortening and active movement
Ex: carrying out ADLs, independently performing range-of-motion
exercises, swimming, walking, jogging, and bicycling
Increases muscle mass, tone, and strength; improved joint
mobility; increased cardiac and respiratory function, circulation,
osteoblast or bone-building activity
Isometric exercise: muscle contraction without shortening (I.e., there is
no movement or only a minimum shortening of muscle fibers)
Ex: contractions of the quadriceps and gluteal muscles, such as
what occurs when holding a yoga pose; planking
Mobility (CH 33)
Mobility: being able to move or be moved
Immobility: unable to move
Exercise: physical activity, good for mobility and maintaining health
Role of the Skeletal System in Movement
o Supports the soft tissues of the body
o Protects crucial components of the body (brain, lung, heart, spinal cord)
o Furnishes surfaces for the attachment of muscles, tendons, and ligaments
o Provides storage areas for minerals (ex; calcium) and fat
o Produces blood cells (hematopoiesis)
Types and Functions of Muscles
o Types:
Skeletal; voluntary
Works with tendons and bones to move the body
Cardiac; involuntary
Forms the bulk of the heart and produces the contractions to create
the heartbeat
Smooth or Visceral; unvoluntary
Forms the walls of the hollow organs, also in the walls of blood
vessels and other hollow tubes (ex; ureters) that connects internal
organs
o Functions
Motion- skeletal muscle contractions pull on tendons and move the bones,
creating movements as simple as extending the arm to as highly
coordinated as swimming or skiing
Maintenance of posture- skeletal muscle contractions hold the body in
stationary positions
Support- skeletal muscles support soft tissues in the abdominal wall and
floor of the pelvic cavity
Heat production- skeletal muscle contractions produce heat and help
maintain body temperature
Effects of Nervous System on Muscle Contraction
o Nerve impulses stimulate muscles to contract:
Neurons conduct impulses from one part of the body to another
The afferent nervous system conveys information from receptors in the
periphery of the body to the CNS
E.g., light pressure on nose
Afferent = sensory, to the brain
Information is processed by the CNS leading to a response
E.g., “There is a fly on my nose. I want to brush it off”
Efferent neurons convey the response from the CNS to skeletal muscles by
way of the somatic nervous system
E.g., muscles in the arm, wrist, and hand contract, and the fingers
brush the fly from the nose
, Efferent = motor, exits the brain
o If there is a brain damage, then there will damage to the motor function
Normal Movement and Alignment
o Body alignment and Posture
Good posture, or proper body alignment is the alignment of body parts
that permits optimal musculoskeletal balance and operation and promotes
healthy physiologic functioning
A person in correct alignment is experiencing no undue strain on the
joints, muscles, tendons, or ligaments while balance is maintained
Center of gravity is stable (center of pelvis)
o Balance
A body in correct alignment is balanced
An object is balanced when its center of gravity is close to its base of
support, the line of gravity goes through the base of support, and the
object has a wide base of support
When the human is standing, the center of gravity is located in the center
of the pelvis about midway between the umbilicus and the symphysis
pubis
The wider the base of support (wide stance) and the lower the center of
gravity, the greater the stability of the object will be
o Coordinated body movement
The ability of muscles to work together for purposeful movement
o Client care ergonomics
Ergonomics: the practice of designing equipment and work tasks to
conform to the capability of the worker and provides a means for adjusting
the work environment and work practices to prevent injuries (OSHA)
The use of proper body positions and avoidance of awkward postures
provide protection from the stress of movement and activity
Patient care ergonomics: the practice of designing equipment and work
tasks to conform to the capability of the worker in relation to the patient
o Postural Reflexes
Group of reflexes (automatic movements) that maintain body position and
equilibrium, whether at rest or during movement
Labyrinthine sense: the sensory organs in the inner ear provide this sense
of position, orientation, and movement.
Body movement (e.g., changes in head position) simulates the
sensory organs, which then transmit these impulses to the
cerebellum
Proprioceptor or Kinesthetic Sense: this informs the brain of the location
or body part as a result of joint movements stimulating special nerve
endings in muscles, tendons, and fascia
Visual or Optic reflexes: visual impressions contribute to posture by
alerting the person to spatial relationships with the environment
Nearness of ceilings, walls, furniture, condition of floor, etc
Extensor or Stretch reflexes: when extensor muscles are stretched
beyond a certain point (e.g., when knees buckle under), their stimulation
, causes a reflex contraction that aids a person to reestablish erect posture
(e.g., straighten knee)
Factors influencing movement and alignment
o Developmental considerations
Depends on age; a person’s age and degree of neuromuscular development
markedly influence body proportions, posture, body mass, movements,
and reflexes
As you get older, your center of gravity compromises
o Physical health
Problems in the musculoskeletal or nervous systems can have a negative
influence on body alignment and movement
Illness or trauma involving other body systems may interfere with
movement because of either the underlying pathology or the
treatment regimen
Ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) or self-care activities
o Mental health
A person’s mental health influences body appearance and movement as
much as the person’s physical health
Body processes tend to slow down in depression, and there is a lack of
visible energy and enthusiasm body posture may be affected
Shoulders slumped, lacks energy to eat or to even use the toilet, no
emotion
o Lifestyle
Activity/exercise of the person depending on their lifestyle
o Attitude and values
Individual values influence the exercise options people make
o Fatigue and stress
Chronic stress may deplete body energy to the point that fatigue makes
even the thought of exercise overwhelming
o External factors
Weather, natural disasters & air pollution, pandemic, financial resources,
living in a dangerous place
Types of exercises – exercise is divided into two major types:
o Muscle contraction
Isotonic exercise: muscle shortening and active movement
Ex: carrying out ADLs, independently performing range-of-motion
exercises, swimming, walking, jogging, and bicycling
Increases muscle mass, tone, and strength; improved joint
mobility; increased cardiac and respiratory function, circulation,
osteoblast or bone-building activity
Isometric exercise: muscle contraction without shortening (I.e., there is
no movement or only a minimum shortening of muscle fibers)
Ex: contractions of the quadriceps and gluteal muscles, such as
what occurs when holding a yoga pose; planking
