Positive expiratory pressure breathing is a technique in which resistance to airflow is applied during exhalation, similar to what occurs during pursed-lip breathing, except that the patient breathes through a specially designed mouthpiece or mask that controls resistance to airflow. This breathing technique is used to hold airways open during exhalation to mobilize accumulated secretions […]

General Background
The manual resistance exercise techniques described in this section are for the upper and lower extremities, performed concentrically in the anatomical planes of motion. The direction of limb movement would be the opposite if manual resistance were applied to an eccentric contraction. The exercises described are performed in non-weight-bearing positions and involve movements to […]

Manual resistance exercise is a form of active resistive exercise in which the resistance force is applied by the therapist to either a dynamic or a static muscular contraction.
• When joint motion is permissible, resistance is usually applied throughout the available ROM as the muscle contracts and shortens or lengthens under tension.
• Exercise is carried […]

Introduction
There are only a few instances when resistance exercises are contraindicated. Resistance training is most often contraindicated during periods of acute inflammation and with some acute diseases and disorders. By carefully selecting the appropriate mode of exercise (static vs. dynamic; weight-bearing vs. non-weight-bearing) and keeping the initial intensity of the exercise at a very low […]

Introduction
Regardless of the goals of a resistance exercise program and the types of exercises prescribed and implemented, the exercises must not only be effective but safe. The therapist’s interpretation of the examination’s findings determine the exercise prescription. Awareness of precautions maximizes patient safety. General precautions for resistance training are summarized below.
General Precautions During Resistance Training
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The intensity of exercise in a resistance training program is the amount of resistance (weight) imposed on the contracting muscle during each repetition of an exercise. The amount of resistance is also referred to as the exercise load (training load), that is, the extent to which the muscle is loaded or how much weight is […]

Many elements (variables) determine whether a resistance exercise program is appropriate, effective, and safe. This holds true when resistance training is a part of a rehabilitation program for individuals with known or potential impairments in muscle performance or when it is incorporated into a general conditioning program to improve the level of fitness of healthy […]

Knowledge of the factors that influence the force-producing capacity of normal muscle during an active contraction is fundamental to understanding how the neuromuscular system adapts as the result of resistance training. This knowledge, in turn, provides a basis on which a therapist is able to make sound clinical decisions when designing a resistance exercise program […]

The SAID principle (specific adaptation to imposed demands) suggests that a framework of specificity is a necessary foundation on which exercise programs should be built. This principle applies to all body systems and is an extension of Wolff’s law (body systems adapt over time to the stresses placed on them). The SAID principle helps therapists […]