PHYSIO 201
Functional Excursion- Distance a muscle can shorten after it has been stretched to its maximum length.
Flexibility- The ability to move a single joint or series of joints smoothly & easily through an unrestricted
pain-free range of motion
Extensibility- The ability of a muscle to stretch, elongate or expand.
Elasticity- The ability to succumb to an elongating force & then return to normal length when the force is
released.
Mobility- The ability of an individual to initiate, control, or sustain active movements of the body to
perform simple to complex motor skills.
Hypomobility- Refers to decreased mobility or restricted motion.
Muscle performance- Refers to the capacity of a muscle to do work.
Physical activity- Any bodily movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscles that result in a
substantial increase over resting energy expenditure.
Exercise- Planned & structured physical activity designed to improve or maintain physical fitness.
Physical Fitness- Used to describe the ability to perform physical work which requires Cardiorespiratory
Functioning, Muscular Strength & Endurance, & Musculoskeletal Flexibility.
Endurance- The ability to work for prolonged periods of time & the ability to resist fatigue. It is also
known as measure of fitness.
Power- Related to the strength & speed of movement; defined as the work ( force x distance ) produced
by a muscle per unit of time ( force x distance / time ). It is the rate of performing work.
Strength- The ability of contractile tissue to produce tension & a resultant force based on the demands
placed on the muscle.
Principles:
Overload principle- If a muscle performance needs to be improved, a load that exceeds the metabolic
capacity must be applied, that is, the muscle must be challenged to perform at a greater than that to which
it is accustomed. It is a gradual and progressive process. An example of this is when an athlete wants to
get stronger; in order to get stronger, he should increase the resistance of what he is lifting by adding
plates. When the athlete feels what he is carrying is lighter, he should increase the resistance to satisfy the
overload principle.
SAID Principle- The adaptations produced by the training are highly specific to the nature of stimulus or
overload applied. It asserts that the human body systems adapt overtime to stresses placed on them or
specifically to imposed demands. ”You get what you practice for” is the saying associated with SAID
