RELAXATION

DR BABAR WARDAG (PT)

COORDINATOR DPT
ABASYN UNIVERSITY PESHAWAR
RELAXATION

 Muscles which are relatively free from tension

and at rest are said to be relaxed
 Tension develops when muscles do work during
contraction
 Tension is reduced to a variable degree when the
muscles come to rest
RELAXATION
 The act of relaxing or the state of being relaxed.
 Refreshment of body or mind.
 A loosening or slackening.
 The lengthening of inactive muscle or muscle
fibers
RELAXATION
MUSCLE TONE
 Muscles are never completely free from tension
 Retain a firmness known as muscle tone even
when they are relaxed
 Muscle tone is a present and maintained through
the activity of the muscle spindle circuit
MUSCLE RELAXATION TECHNIQUES
 Stretching
 Yoga
 Free exercise
 Hold relax techniques
 Isometric relaxation
 Modalities, i.e. Heat therapy, electrotherapy
 Massage
 Deep tissue mobilization
POSTURAL TONE
 The contraction which persists in the muscles
concerned with the maintenance of posture
 Contraction is mainly maintained by anti-gravity
or postural muscles
 Postural tone is maintained and regulated by a
reflex mechanism
POSTURAL TONE
 Any stretching by an external force such as
gravity or force stimulates sensory receptors
situated within muscles
 Gives rise to discharge of motor impulses to the
muscles being stretched
 Motor impulses bring about a contraction of a
sufficient number of muscles motor units to
increase tension
POSTURAL TONE
 Higher centres also exert control
 Spinal cord carries all messages to the brain
 Parts of the brain that regulate posture:
 Cerebellum
 Main centre for movement, learning movement,
postural tone and balance
POSTURAL TONE
 The Medulla Oblongata
 Helps control the body's autonomic functions like
respiration, digestion and heart rate. Also acts as a
relay station for nerve signals going to/from the brain
 The Pons
 Has roles in your level of arousal or conciousness and
sleep. Relays sensory information to/from the brain.
 Also involved in controlling autonomic body
functions.
DEGREE OF POSTURAL TONE
 Postural tone varies with any alteration in
posture
 Upright positions, stretch muscles more strongly
 Positions which provide full support for all
segments of body are suitable for relaxation
POSITIONS
 Positions with high postural tone:
 Standing, unipodal stance,
 Positions with low postural tone:
 Lying down has the lowest postural tone
 Sitting in a reclining chair
VOLUNTARY MOVEMENT
 Movement performed or controlled by the
voluntary action of muscles, working in
opposition to an external force
VOLUNTARY MOVEMENT
 Specific muscles contract to incite or control
movement
 At completion of movement in question they
relax and come to rest
MENTAL ATTITUDES
 If mental attitudes become habitual they may lead
to alterations in normal posture
 Muscles that often are affected are upper
trapezius, cervical spine muscles
 Recognition of this state of tension followed by
voluntary relaxation of muscles can provide a
means of helping patient economize nervous
energy
MENTAL ATTITUDES
 Tension can result in reduction of range of
motion, hyper tone of muscles and pain
 Physiotherapy can help achieve normal mobility,
muscle tone and a reduction in pain
 A fear in one form or the other is the most usual
cause of persistent tension
 Physiotherapist must reassure the patient
MENTAL ATTITUDES
 An atmosphere conducive to rest both mental and
physical contributes to success in helping the
patient acquire the art of voluntary relaxation
DEGREES OF RELAXATION
 Important to investigate the degree of the
reduction in tension that has taken place
 Can be done by muscle palpation, passive
movement, examining breathing pattern
 Ex In massage if the patient falls asleep it is proof
that general relaxation has been achieved