Refer if necessary
Previous TopicReferral and discharge
Refer a person receiving muscle strengthening interventions if:
- There is no improvement seen in muscle strength after 2 weeks of daily treatment
- Red flags are seen during treatment
- You feel that the person has complex muscle weakness that you cannot manage
There are different health workers including rehabilitation professionals who manage muscle weakness. Rehabilitation professionals involved in muscle strengthening include occupational therapists, physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians and physiotherapists.
A person can be discharged from a muscle strengthening program if the goals agreed in the planning phase have been achieved or there is the need to refer to a rehabilitation professional.
Summary
- It is important to re-assess muscle strength to monitor impact of muscle strengthening exercises, to know when to progress exercises and monitor progress towards goals
- There are a number of different ways to progress muscle strengthening exercises depending on the exercises currently being performed
- It is important not to progress exercises too quickly as this can lead to injury or re-injury
- When monitoring the person's muscle strengthening exercise program, make sure you check their technique is correct and adjust as needed
- If the person’s muscle strength is not improving after 2 weeks of performing exercises, refer to a rehabilitation professional
You have completed lesson 5! If you have any questions or comments, post them on the discussion forum.
Lesson 5 Quiz
Complete the following quiz before finishing this module:
Quiz
1. What can happen if a person progresses exercises too quickly?
- a. Can lead to injury or re-injury
- b. They may have a poor technique and may not use the muscles they are supposed to be using
- c. They may overload the
muscles they are using to perform the exercises
- d. All of the above
If you selected d, you are correct.
Progressing exercises too quickly can lead to injury or re-injury if performing the exercises with a poor technique. This may also mean that other muscles may be working that are not supposed to be. Even if technique is good, progressing exercises can overload muscles.
2. Which of the following is an example of a functional exercise?
- a. Sit to stand
- b. Knee extension (sitting)
- c. Pendulum
- d. Elbow bend (standing)
If you selected a, you are correct.
Sit to stand exercise is an example of a functional exercise as it uses multiple muscle groups at once.
3. If a person has been doing active-assisted exercises, what exercises should they progress to first?
- a. Active against gravity
- b. Passive
- c. Active with gravity eliminated
- d. Active against gravity and resistance
If you selected c, you are correct.
A person who has been doing active-assisted exercises should progress to active exercises with gravity eliminated when able.
4. Why is it important to re-assess strength?
- a. To assess any changes in muscle strength
- b. To check whether the muscle strengthening program has been helping to increase muscle strength
- c. So that you know when
it is possible to progress exercises
- d. All of the above
If you selected d, you are correct.
These are all reasons why it is important to re-assess muscle strength.
5. Why is follow-up important?
- a. To prevent injury or re-injury by correcting exercise technique
- b. To re-assess strength and progress exercises
- c. To monitor progress
towards goals
- d. To monitor progress towards goals
- e. All of the above
If you selected e, you are correct.
All of these options are reasons why follow-up is important.
