Neuromuscular System Interventions Flashcards

When applying the PNF technique of approximation at the shoulder, what is the PRIMARY physiological mechanism?

Answer: Joint compression stimulating mechanoreceptors to facilitate co-contraction and postural stability

Approximation compresses joint surfaces, stimulating articular mechanoreceptors and muscle spindles, which reflexively facilitates simultaneous contraction of muscles surrounding the joint for stability.

A patient recovering from Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is in the recovery phase. Which exercise parameter is MOST critical to monitor?

Answer: Signs of overwork weakness including increased fatigue and declining function

Overwork weakness in GBS occurs when denervated or partially reinnervated muscles are exercised beyond their capacity, causing a lasting decline in strength that may not fully recover.

Task-oriented gait training for stroke survivors should PRIMARILY emphasize which characteristic to maximize neuroplastic benefit?

Answer: High repetitions of the complete walking task practiced in variable real-world contexts

Neuroplasticity is driven by high-dose, task-specific, variable practice of the actual walking task; specificity of training and volume of practice are the primary drivers of cortical reorganization.

Which intervention is CONTRAINDICATED for a patient in the acute inflammatory phase of polymyositis?

Answer: High-intensity progressive resistive exercise

High-intensity exercise during active myositis inflammation can increase muscle enzyme levels, worsen inflammation, and cause further muscle damage; only gentle ROM is appropriate in the acute phase.

When using aquatic therapy for neuromuscular re-education, which property of water is MOST therapeutically beneficial for enabling movement practice that is not possible on land?

Answer: Buoyancy reducing effective body weight to allow movement with weak muscles

Buoyancy reduces the load of gravity on the body, allowing patients with significant neuromuscular weakness to practice active movement and gait patterns that they cannot yet perform on land.

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) for foot drop post-stroke should be timed to deliver stimulation during which phase of the gait cycle?

Answer: Swing phase, to facilitate ankle dorsiflexion and toe clearance

FES for foot drop is triggered at initial swing and delivered throughout the swing phase to produce dorsiflexion and eversion, clearing the foot from the ground during ambulation.

Which principle of neuroplasticity MOST directly supports the use of high-repetition, task-specific training in neurorehabilitation?

Answer: Use-dependent plasticity — repeated activation of neural circuits strengthens synaptic connections through LTP

Use-dependent plasticity (driven by long-term potentiation) shows that repeated co-activation of neural pathways strengthens synaptic efficacy — the neuroscientific basis for repetitive task practice.