Myasthenia gravis, or muscle weakness, is a neuromuscular, autoimmune disease that is accompanied by rapid fatigue of striated muscles, which perform key functions in the musculoskeletal system.
Very often, when visiting a doctor, a person talks about muscle weakness as one of the symptoms of the disease, and it is very important to differentiate true muscle weakness from the phenomenon of fatigue, which is a subjective perception of loss of muscle strength. Muscle weakness in the legs or arms can be caused by a number of reasons that are not related to myasthenia gravis. If only muscle weakness in the legs is pronounced, against the background of general normal health, this may be due to normal fatigue of the body, standing work, and even wearing uncomfortable shoes.
Myasthenia gravis, a fairly rare disease, is caused by an attack by the body's immune system against its own cells and occurs in the form of exacerbations, which are followed by short periods of remission. With this disease, the ability of the muscular system to contract is impaired, which manifests itself in the form of loss of muscle strength. Although people of all ages are not immune from the disease, it most often affects women 20-45 years old and men 50-75 years old.
Causes of muscle weakness
There are many reasons for the development of muscle weakness. The main cause of myasthenia gravis is a violation of innervation, in simple terms, muscle weakness as a result of damage to synapses, that is, the junction of muscles with nerves. Muscle tissue contains a special substance, acetylcholine, which ensures the formation and transmission of nerve impulses. For various reasons, the body's immune system begins to perceive acetylcholine as a foreign threat and produces antibodies to it. The causes of muscle weakness are unknown; the trigger for the onset of the disease can be ordinary stress or various infectious diseases. Some researchers believe that the causes of muscle weakness are related to the human thymus gland.
A special feature of the disease is the incredible fact that muscles, which, it would seem, should completely atrophy from inactivity, retain their capabilities. Alternative effective life support systems, which awaken in the human body against the background of the development of the disease, to some extent compensate for the deficiency, maintaining muscle performance.
Neuromuscular diseases in children
Manifestations of myasthenia gravis can occur even in childhood. Muscle weakness in a child may indicate muscle tissue dystrophy. This condition often indicates the presence of various disorders in the child’s central nervous system, developmental defects in the muscular system, or genetic disorders. Also, muscle weakness in a child accompanies myotonic syndrome, which provokes the formation of sluggish posture; such children do not support their backs, begin to walk late, and they experience various disorders in the functioning of the joints. Often, muscle weakness in a child is associated with hereditary neuromuscular diseases that begin to progress, leading to atrophic changes in the muscular system.
Muscle weakness as a symptom of various diseases
Myasthenia gravis can not only be an autoimmune independent disease, but also manifest itself as a symptom of other diseases. Muscle weakness can manifest itself when there is insufficient amount of protein in the body, intoxication, in the presence of any infectious disease or inflammatory process, electrolyte imbalance, dehydration, anemia, various neurological diseases, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, and drug overdose. Muscle weakness can occur due to emotional overload, stress and asthenic syndrome. Muscle weakness in the legs may be due to varicose veins, arthritis, or a herniated disc.
Diagnosis, symptoms and treatment of muscle weakness
For patients with myasthenia gravis, timely diagnosis of the disease at an early stage is extremely important, which will ensure greater effectiveness of therapeutic measures and a better prognosis for the course of the disease. Diagnostics includes laboratory and instrumental research methods:
- blood test for the presence of antibodies to acetylcholine;
- examination by a neurologist;
- electromyography;
- test with endrophony;
- CT, MRI to study the thymus gland.
The clinical picture of the disease is characterized by severe muscle weakness and pathological fatigue. Muscle weakness differs from ordinary paresis in that it increases sharply with active repetition of various movements, and after rest the movements improve significantly. There are localized muscle weakness affecting the extraocular muscles (ocular form), the system of muscles of the larynx, tongue and pharynx (bulbar form), muscles of the limbs (skeletal type) and generalized. Usually the disease begins with damage to the eye muscles, drooping eyelids are observed, and objects may appear double. Symptoms are very dynamic and can change significantly within one day.
Next, the swallowing, chewing and speech muscles are affected. There are difficulties in chewing, swallowing and fatigue when speaking. Muscle weakness extends to the extremities, with the proximal parts most affected, followed by the neck muscles and respiratory muscles.
Treatment of muscle weakness includes a large course of physiotherapeutic rehabilitation measures and specific treatment aimed at eliminating symptoms. After therapy, there is a positive dynamics of the disease, but since muscle weakness is a chronic disease, it is impossible to talk about a complete cure. The main treatment for muscle weakness is to prescribe effective, adequate treatment; for each patient, the doctor prescribes his own drug regimen. Substances that actively block acetylcholine destroyers are prescribed, such as Kalimin, Oxazil, Proserin, Prednisolone and Metipred. Radical treatment methods include radiation exposure or surgical removal of the thymus gland in case of hyperplasia or tumor. If muscle weakness is a symptom of some other disease, or is associated with general fatigue of the body, then after adequate elimination of the underlying causes, all manifestations of weakness of the muscular system simply disappear.
Muscle weakness is a common problem with which patients turn to doctors of various specialties. In medicine, the term muscle weakness implies a decrease in muscle strength, assessed objectively. The extent of this damage may vary. Paralysis is the complete absence of voluntary movements in any muscle group. The weakening of such movements is called paresis.
Causes of muscle weakness
Muscle weakness can accompany completely different diseases. Typically, such a complaint is voiced at an appointment with a neurologist or therapist. Often patients refer to fatigue, decreased sensitivity, difficulty moving, and even a decrease in overall vitality. Adults are more concerned about muscle weakness in the legs. It is known that heart failure manifests itself in the appearance of shortness of breath and a decrease in the ability to perform physical work, even walking. Some patients incorrectly interpret this condition as muscle weakness. Deforming osteoarthritis of large joints significantly reduces the range of motion in them, which also helps to reduce the load tolerated and can be perceived as weakness in the muscles. Metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes, are also widespread in adults. This disease is accompanied by diabetic polyneuropathy, which most often affects peripheral neurons and causes muscle weakness in the legs. All these causes of muscle weakness mainly appear after forty years. In a child, muscle weakness often indicates a pathology of the nervous system. Already in the first minutes of life, the pediatrician assesses the condition of the newborn, including muscle tone. Decreased tone is associated with birth injuries and other reasons. So, the causes of muscle weakness are varied. They may be diseases of the nervous tissue (central and peripheral nervous system), endocrine disorders (adrenal insufficiency, thyrotoxicosis, hyperparathyroidism), other conditions (dermatomyositis or polymyositis, muscular dystrophies, mitochondrial myopathies, hysteria, botulism, various poisonings, anemia).
Diagnosis of the disease
To determine the cause of muscle weakness, a complete examination of the patient is performed. The doctor talks with the patient: finds out when the symptoms of muscle weakness first appeared, what affects the manifestations of the disease, in which muscle groups the lesion is localized. In addition, previous illnesses, heredity for neurological diseases and accompanying symptoms are important for diagnosis. Next, a general objective examination of the patient and muscle examination are performed. At the stage of muscle assessment, the volume of muscle tissue, the symmetry of its location, and tissue turgor are determined. Assessment of tendon reflexes is mandatory. The severity of the reflex is assessed on a scale with six gradations (absence of reflexes, decreased reflexes, normal, increased, transient clonus, stable clonus). It should be taken into account that in a healthy person, superficial reflexes (for example, abdominal) may be absent, but the Babinski reflex is the norm in newborns. Muscle strength is assessed using a special scale. The absence of muscle contractions corresponds to zero, and full muscle strength – five points. Points from one to four are used to assess varying degrees of muscle strength reduction. When the central nervous system is damaged, weakness manifests itself in the limb opposite to the lesion in the brain. So, if a stroke occurred in the left hemisphere, paresis and paralysis develop in the right limbs. In the hands, the extensors suffer more than the flexors. In the lower extremities, the opposite is usually true. When the central part of the nervous system (brain and spinal cord) is damaged, weakness is accompanied by an increase in muscle tone, revitalization of deep tendon reflexes, and the appearance of pathological reflexes (Hoffman, Babinsky). When the peripheral nervous system is affected, weakness is limited to the area of innervation of a particular nerve; muscle tone is always low; deep reflexes are weakened or absent. Sometimes rapid twitching of muscle bundles (fascilation) may occur. To clarify the diagnosis, some functional tests can be carried out: the patient is asked to make one or another movement.
Treatment of muscle weakness
After making a diagnosis, the doctor chooses treatment for muscle weakness according to current recommendations. If the cause of muscle weakness is a pathology of the nervous system, therapy is carried out by a neurologist. Physical therapy, massage, physiotherapy, symptomatic therapy, thrombolytics, neuroprotectors, vitamins and other drugs can be used. In a child, muscle weakness is identified and treated by a pediatric neurologist and pediatrician.
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The effect of insufficient physical activity on the body. Movement is the same physiological need for a living organism as the need for safety or a sexual partner.
Failure to meet this need for a long time leads to the development of serious health problems, premature aging and death. The vital necessity of movement has been proven in animal experiments. So, if rats (one of the most viable animals) are kept in conditions of complete immobility for 1 month, then 40% of the animals die. In conditions of minimal physical movement, 20% of animals die. Chickens raised in conditions of immobilization in cramped cages and then released into the wild die after the slightest run around the yard.
There are two types of insufficient motor activity: hypokinesia - lack of muscle movements, physical inactivity - lack of physical exertion. Usually, physical inactivity and hypokinesia accompany each other and act together, therefore they are replaced by one word (as you know, the concept of “hypodynamia” is most often used). These are atrophic changes in muscles, general physical detraining, detraining of the cardiovascular system, decreased orthostatic stability, changes in water-salt balance, blood system, demineralization of bones, etc. Ultimately, the functional activity of organs and systems decreases, the activity of the regulatory mechanisms that ensure their interconnection is disrupted, and resistance to various unfavorable factors deteriorates; the intensity and volume of afferent information associated with muscle contractions decreases, coordination of movements is impaired, muscle tone (turgor) decreases, endurance and strength indicators decrease. The most resistant to the development of hypodynamic signs are muscles of an anti-gravity nature (neck, back). The abdominal muscles atrophy relatively quickly, which adversely affects the function of the circulatory, respiratory, and digestive organs.
Under conditions of physical inactivity, the strength of heart contractions decreases due to a decrease in venous return to the atria, the minute volume, the mass of the heart and its energy potential are reduced, the heart muscle is weakened, and the amount of circulating blood decreases due to its stagnation in the depot and capillaries.
The tone of arterial and venous vessels is weakened, blood pressure drops, the supply of oxygen to tissues (hypoxia) and the intensity of metabolic processes (imbalances in the balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, water and salts) deteriorate. The vital capacity of the lungs and pulmonary ventilation, as well as the intensity of gas exchange, decreases. All this is a weakening of the relationship between motor and autonomic functions, and inadequacy of neuromuscular tension.
Thus, with physical inactivity, a situation is created in the body that is fraught with “emergency” consequences for its vital functions.
If we add that the lack of the necessary systematic physical exercise is associated with negative changes in the activity of the higher parts of the brain, its subcortical structures and formations, then it becomes clear why the general defenses of the body decrease and increased fatigue occurs, sleep is disturbed, and the ability to maintain high mental performance decreases. or physical performance.
Lack of physical activity in our country is typical for the majority of the urban population and, especially, for people engaged in mental activity. These include not only knowledge workers, but also schoolchildren and students whose main activity is study. According to WHO (World Health Organization), as of 1999, the number of people actively and regularly engaged in physical exercise in developed countries (such as the USA, France, Germany, Sweden, Canada) is about 60%, in Finland - 70%, in Russia - only 6% (!). Some consequences that result from a long-term decrease in physical activity: Degenerative-dystrophic changes develop in muscle cells (degeneration processes due to metabolic disorders), muscle mass decreases.
In this case, layers of adipose tissue may appear between the muscle fibers.
Muscle tone decreases, which leads to poor posture. Poor posture, in turn, leads to displacement of internal organs. Externally, a decrease in muscle tone manifests itself in the form of muscle sagging. The load on the cardiovascular system is reduced, which leads to a decrease in the mass of the heart muscle and disruption of metabolic processes in the heart cells. The size of the heart decreases, the strength of the heart muscle decreases, and the condition of the heart vessels worsens.
These changes increase the risk of developing heart pathologies, including fatal heart attacks. The strength of the respiratory muscles and the functional state of the respiratory apparatus decreases. Congestion develops in the lungs, which is a prerequisite for the development of inflammatory diseases. In severe cases, pulmonary insufficiency may develop, with even minor muscle efforts causing attacks of severe shortness of breath. Congestion develops in the organs of the abdominal cavity, including the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to food retention in the stomach, disruption of intestinal function, and increased decay processes.
These changes are accompanied by intoxication (poisoning) with rotting poisons and constipation. Weakness of the abdominal muscles (abdominal muscles, lateral surfaces of the torso, back) leads to a decrease in intra-abdominal pressure. The risk of prolapse of abdominal organs (for example, kidneys) increases. The condition of the blood vessels deteriorates due to the lack of sufficient stress on them.
Small vessels that have collapsed at rest in a sedentary person are closed almost all the time, which leads to a decrease in their number. Reducing the number of reserve vessels reduces the overall reserves of the body. The poor condition of the vascular walls contributes to the development of varicose veins, atherosclerosis, hypertension and other pathologies. There is a decrease in the functions of the endocrine glands, including a decrease in the release of adrenaline, a hormone that helps to successfully overcome stressful conditions.
In a sedentary person, the need to stimulate the synthesis of adrenaline by artificial means increases through smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol, etc. Reducing the load on the bone apparatus and deteriorating their nutrition leads to the release of calcium from the bones, which impairs their strength. As a result, bones become susceptible to deformation under the influence of loads, for example, when carrying heavy loads. Congestion develops in the pelvic organs with disruption of their function and, as a result, reproductive capacity (the ability to produce healthy sex cells) decreases, libido and potency decrease.
Sedentary and weakened women are characterized by difficult tolerability of pregnancy due to a decrease in the general functional state of the body, a long duration of labor and a high risk of birth mortality, as well as the poor health of the newborn child. The body's energy expenditure is significantly reduced and, as a result, the metabolic rate decreases and body weight increases due to the fat component.
The rate of synthesis of substances decreases, and the speed and intensity of self-renewal of body cells decreases accordingly. The processes of decomposition of substances can exceed the processes of their synthesis - a premature aging process is observed. A decrease in impulses entering the central nervous system from working muscles reduces its tone and functional state. As a result, the performance of the brain decreases, including a decrease in higher brain functions (thinking, memory, attention, etc.). The deterioration of the functional state of the central nervous system reduces the quality of its trophic function - the function of controlling metabolic processes in all cells of the body.
Deterioration of control over the flow of metabolism in the cells of the body leads to a decrease in the functional state of all organs and systems. A decrease in the functional state of the central nervous system is accompanied by a sharp increase in emotional excitability, which, in turn, contributes to the development of emotional stress, and subsequently psychosomatic diseases. The condition of the sense organs, especially the visual analyzer, as well as the vestibular apparatus, worsens.
Coordination decreases, muscle sensitivity deteriorates (the ability to assess the position of the body and its individual parts in space, determine the amount of muscle tension). A person is significantly less able to control his movements.
Reduced control of the nervous system over cell metabolic processes and deterioration of blood supply to organs weaken the body’s immunity. As a result, the body's resistance to the development of any kind of disease decreases. In particular, a low level of immune control over cell division processes increases the risk of developing malignant tumors. The monotonous sedentary state of the body gradually leads to a smoothing of biological rhythms (daily changes in pulse, temperature and other functions become less pronounced). As a result, sleep becomes weak, and during the waking period there is low performance, lethargy, high fatigue, poor health and mood, and a constant desire to rest.
The performance of the whole organism decreases, the “physiological cost of the load” increases, that is, the same load by a person with prolonged low physical activity will cause greater stress in the functioning of the organs that provide it (heart, respiratory system, etc.). In addition, in people who are physically inactive for a long time, physiological changes during exercise are irrational.
Irrational physiological changes during exercise lead to high fatigue even at low levels of physical stress. The level of vital activity of the organism as a biological system decreases. That is, the body moves to a new, lower level of functioning.
For example, the basal metabolism of a sedentary organism decreases by 10-20% (basic metabolism is the body’s energy expenditure for the minimum necessary vital functions: 1) metabolism in cells, 2) the activity of constantly working organs - respiratory muscles, heart, kidneys, brain , 3) maintaining a minimum level of muscle tone). This phenomenon is called “hypokinetic disease” or “hypokinesia”. As physical activity decreases, muscles experience increasing atrophy with structural and functional changes leading to progressive muscle weakness.
For example, due to weakening of the muscles of the ligamentous and bone apparatus of the trunk, lower extremities, which cannot fully perform their function - maintaining the musculoskeletal system, postural disorders develop, deformation of the spine, chest, pelvis, etc., which entail a number of health problems , which leads to decreased performance. Limitation of physical activity leads to changes in the functions of internal organs.
At the same time, the SSS is very vulnerable. The functional state of the heart worsens, biological oxidation processes are disrupted, which impairs tissue respiration. With a small load, oxygen deficiency develops. This leads to early pathology of the circulatory system, the development of atherosclerotic plaques, and rapid wear and tear of the system. Particular attention to physical activity should be paid to schoolchildren. A necessary condition for the harmonious development of a student’s personality is sufficient physical activity.
In recent years, due to the high academic load at school and at home and other reasons, most schoolchildren have experienced a deficit in their daily routine, insufficient physical activity, which causes the appearance of hypokinesia, which can cause a number of serious changes in the student’s body. Research by hygienists shows that up to 82–85% of the daytime, most students are in a static position (sitting). Even among younger schoolchildren, voluntary motor activity (walking, games) occupies only 16–19% of the day, of which only 1–3% falls on organized forms of physical education. When children enter school, their overall physical activity drops by almost 50%, decreasing from junior to senior grades.
It has been established that physical activity in grades 9-10 is less than in grades 6-7; girls take fewer steps per day than boys; physical activity on Sundays is greater than on school days. A change in the amount of physical activity was noted in different academic quarters.
Physical activity of schoolchildren is especially low in winter; in spring and autumn it increases. Schoolchildren not only have to limit their natural motor activity, but also maintain an uncomfortable static posture for a long time while sitting at a desk or study table. A low-moving position at a desk or desk affects the functioning of many systems of the student’s body, especially the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
When sitting for a long time, breathing becomes less deep, metabolism decreases, blood stagnation occurs in the lower extremities, which leads to a decrease in the performance of the entire body and especially the brain: attention decreases, memory weakens, coordination of movements is impaired, and the time of mental operations increases. The negative consequences of hypokinesia also manifest themselves in the young body’s resistance to “colds and infectious diseases”; prerequisites are created for the formation of a weak, untrained heart and the associated further development of insufficiency of the cardiovascular system.
Hypokinesia due to excessive nutrition with a large excess of carbohydrates and fats in the daily diet can lead to obesity. Sedentary children have very weak muscles. They are unable to maintain the body in the correct position and develop poor posture and a slouched position. Quite interesting observations of the effect of restricting physical activity on the physical development of a young organism have been published in the press.
Scientists have found that 6-7 year old children who have already been admitted to school lag behind their peers who do not attend educational institutions in height, body weight and brain weight. The difference by the end of the year turns out to be significant: for boys the difference in height is 3.2 cm and body weight is 700 g. And for girls - 0.9 cm and 1 kg, respectively. 300 gr. The only way to neutralize the negative phenomenon that occurs in schoolchildren during prolonged and intense mental work is active rest from school and organized physical activity.
The schoolchild’s motor regime consists mainly of morning physical exercises, outdoor games during school breaks, physical education lessons, classes in clubs and sports sections, walks before bed, and active recreation on weekends. With systematic physical education and sports, there is a continuous improvement of the organs and systems of the human body.
This is mainly the positive effect of physical culture on health promotion. The average growth and development indicators, as well as some functional indicators of young athletes are significantly higher than those of their peers who do not go in for sports: the body length of 16-17 year old boys is 5.7 - 6 cm longer, body weight is 8 - 8.5 kg , and the circumference of the chest by 2.5 - 5 cm, the compression force of the hand - by 4.5 - 5.7 kg, the vital capacity of the lungs - by 0.5 - 1.4 liters.
The following observations are described in the literature: among schoolchildren who do not engage in physical exercise, their back strength increased by 8.7 kg over the course of a year; teenagers of the same age who were involved in physical education for 13 kg and those who, in addition to physical education lessons, also engaged in sports for 23 kg. A clear explanation for this is provided by the following experiment. When examining a section of an animal's muscles under a microscope, it was discovered that in one mm square of muscle at rest, there are from 30 to 60 capillaries.
In the same area, after intensive physical exercise. During the work of the muscle, there were up to 30,000 capillaries, that is, tens of times more. In addition, each capillary increased almost 2 times in diameter. This indicates that at rest they do not participate in blood circulation, but during muscle activity the capillaries fill with blood and contribute to the flow of nutrients into the muscles. Thus, metabolism during muscle work increases many times compared to the resting state. Muscles make up from 40 to 56% of a person’s body weight and one can hardly expect good health if a good half of the cells that make up the body do not receive sufficient nutrition and do not have good performance. Under the influence of muscle activity, the harmonious development of all parts of the central nervous system occurs.
It is important that physical The loads were systematic, varied and did not cause overwork. The higher part of the nervous system receives signals from the sensory organs and from skeletal muscles. The cerebral cortex processes a huge flow of information and carries out precise regulation of the body's activities.
Physical exercise has a beneficial effect on the development of such functions of the nervous system as strength, mobility and balance of nervous processes. Even intense mental activity is impossible without movement. So the student sat down and thought about a difficult problem and suddenly felt the need to walk around the room - this makes it easier for him to work and think.
If you look at a thinking schoolboy, you can see how concentrated all the muscles of his face and arms are. Mental work requires the mobilization of muscle efforts, since signals from muscles activate brain activity. A decrease in physical activity leads to diseases (heart attack, hypertension, obesity, etc.). For example, in people with mental work, heart attacks occur 2-3 times more often than in people with physical work. Pathological changes in the body develop not only in the absence of movement, but even during a normal lifestyle, but when the motor mode does not correspond to the genetic program “conceived” by nature.
Lack of physical activity leads to metabolic disorders and impaired resistance to hypoxia (lack of oxygen). A person’s ability to resist physical inactivity - the lack of muscle activity - is far from unlimited. After just one or two weeks of bed rest, even completely healthy people experience a significant decrease in muscle strength, loss of coordination of movements, and decreased endurance.
The negative consequences of physical inactivity extend to many functions of the body, even those not related to muscular work and movement. For example, a lack of nerve impulses contributes to the development of inhibitory processes in the brain, which deteriorates its activity, which controls the functioning of internal organs. As a result, their functioning and the interaction of these organs is gradually disrupted.
Previously, it was believed that physical exercise mainly affects the neuromuscular (or musculoskeletal) system, and changes in metabolism, circulatory system, respiratory system and other systems could be considered as secondary, secondary. Recent medical research has refuted these ideas. It has been shown that during muscle activity a phenomenon called motor-viceral reflexes occurs, that is, impulses from working muscles are addressed to internal organs. This allows us to consider physical exercise as a lever that acts through muscles on the level of metabolism and the activity of the most important functional systems of the body. Muscular activity is given one of the leading places in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and other organs.
From what has been said, it clearly follows that a long-term sedentary person is a sick person, or a person who will inevitably become sick. Mental performance. Fatigue and its prevention. A person’s performance is determined by his resistance to various types of fatigue - physical, mental, etc. and is characterized by the duration of high-quality performance of the relevant work.
The mental performance of students, for example, is determined by the success of mastering educational material. Mental performance largely depends on the state of the psychophysiological qualities of students. These include general endurance, including physical, speed of mental activity, ability to switch and distribute, concentration and stability of attention, emotional stability.
The health status of students and their resistance to adverse environmental influences are important for successful professional training. Mental performance is not constant; it changes throughout the working day. At the beginning it is low (the period of working in), then it rises and remains at a high level for some time (the period of stable performance), after which it decreases (the period of uncompensated fatigue). This change in mental performance can be repeated twice a day. A person’s mental performance largely depends on the time of day.
The daily physiological rhythm of the functions of the body's systems determines the increased intensity of the activity of organs and systems during the daytime and the decreased intensity at night. Mental performance also changes throughout the week. On Monday there is a stage of working in, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday there is high performance, and developing fatigue occurs on Friday and Saturday.
That is why on Sunday you should pay more attention to physical training and sports. They reduce fatigue. What is fatigue? Fatigue is a physiological state of the body, manifested in a temporary decrease in its performance as a result of work performed. The leading causes of fatigue are disturbances in the coherence of the functioning of organs and systems. Thus, metabolism in the peripheral neuromuscular system is disrupted, the activity of enzymatic systems is inhibited, the excitability and conductivity of signals is reduced, biochemical and biophysical changes occur in the receptive and contractile elements of the muscle structure. In the endocrine system, either hyperfunction is observed during emotional stress, or hyperfunction during prolonged and exhausting muscular work.
Disturbances in the autonomic respiratory and circulatory systems are associated with a weakening of the contractility of the heart muscles and the muscles of the external respiratory apparatus.
The oxygen transport function of the blood deteriorates. Thus, fatigue is a complex physiological process that begins in the higher parts of the nervous system and spreads to other systems of the body. There are subjective and objective signs of fatigue. Fatigue is usually preceded by a feeling of tiredness. Fatigue is a signal warning the body about disorganization in the primary activity of the cerebral cortex.
Feelings associated with fatigue include: hunger, thirst, pain, etc. The importance of knowing the degree of fatigue during various types of mental work can be judged from the fact that in the country every fourth worker is engaged in mental work. There are many types of mental work. They differ in the organization of the labor process, the uniformity of the workload, and the degree of neuro-emotional stress. Representatives of mental labor are united into separate groups.
There are seven such groups: Engineers, economists, accountants, office workers, etc. They perform their work mainly according to a pre-developed algorithm. The work takes place in favorable conditions, with little nervous and emotional stress; Heads of institutions and enterprises of large and small teams, teachers of secondary and higher schools. They are characterized by irregular workload and the need to make non-standard decisions. Scientists, designers, creative workers, writers, artists.
Their work is characterized by the creation of new algorithms, which increases the degree of neuro-emotional stress. A group of people working with machines and equipment. The so-called camera work. High concentration, instant response to signals. Varying degrees of mental and neuro-emotional stress. Typesetters, controllers, assemblers, etc. They are characterized by high neuro-emotional stress and local muscle tension. Medical workers.
Their work is associated with great responsibility and high neuro-emotional stress, especially for surgeons and ambulance workers. This group unites students and students from various educational institutions. Their work requires memory, attention, thought processes, because... they constantly perceive new and large quantities of information. They are characterized by limitation of motor activity, great tension in the higher parts of the central nervous system, mental and emotional stress. 3. The importance of physical culture for the prevention of physical inactivity Sufficient physical activity is a necessary condition for the harmonious development of the individual.
Physical exercise promotes good functioning of the digestive organs, helping to digest and assimilate food, activates the activity of the liver and kidneys, improves the endocrine glands: thyroid, reproductive, adrenal glands, which play a huge role in the growth and development of the young body. Under the influence of physical activity, the heart rate increases, the heart muscle contracts more strongly, and the heart releases blood into the great vessels.
Constant training of the circulatory system leads to its functional improvement. In addition, during work, the blood that does not circulate through the vessels in a calm state is included in the bloodstream. Involving a large mass of blood in the blood circulation not only trains the heart and blood vessels, but also stimulates blood formation. Physical exercise increases the body's need for oxygen.
As a result, the “vital capacity” of the lungs increases and the mobility of the chest improves. In addition, complete expansion of the lungs eliminates congestion in them, the accumulation of mucus and sputum, i.e. serves as a prevention of possible diseases. With systematic physical exercise, the lungs increase in volume, breathing becomes rarer and deeper, which is of great importance for ventilation of the lungs. Physical exercise also evokes positive emotions, cheerfulness, and creates a good mood.
Therefore, it becomes clear why a person who has known the “taste” of physical exercise and sports strives to practice them regularly. The mechanism of the protective effect of intense physical exercise is embedded in the genetic code of the human body. Skeletal muscles, which on average make up 40% of body weight (in men), are genetically programmed by nature for hard physical work. “Motor activity is one of the main factors that determine the level of metabolic processes of the body and the state of its skeletal, muscular and cardiovascular systems,” wrote academician V.V. Parin (1969). Human muscles are a powerful generator of energy.
They send a strong flow of nerve impulses to maintain optimal tone of the central nervous system, facilitate the movement of venous blood through the vessels to the heart (“muscle pump”), and create the necessary tension for the normal functioning of the motor system. According to the “energy rule of skeletal muscles” by I. A. Arshavsky, the energy potential of the body and the functional state of all organs and systems depend on the nature of the activity of skeletal muscles. The more intense the motor activity within the optimal zone, the more fully the genetic program is realized and the energy potential, functional resources of the body and life expectancy increase.
There are general and special effects of physical exercise, as well as their indirect effect on risk factors.
The most general effect of training is energy expenditure, directly proportional to the duration and intensity of muscle activity, which allows one to compensate for the deficit in energy expenditure. It is also important to increase the body’s resistance to the effects of unfavorable environmental factors: stressful situations, high and low temperatures, radiation, injuries, hypoxia. As a result of increased nonspecific immunity, resistance to colds also increases.
However, the use of extreme training loads required in elite sports to achieve “peak” athletic form often leads to the opposite effect - suppression of the immune system and increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. A similar negative effect can be obtained when engaging in mass physical culture with an excessive increase in load. The special effect of health training is associated with an increase in the functionality of the cardiovascular system.
It consists in economizing the work of the heart at rest and increasing the reserve capabilities of the circulatory system during muscle activity. One of the most important effects of physical training is a decrease in heart rate at rest (bradycardia) as a manifestation of economization of cardiac activity and lower myocardial oxygen demand. Increasing the duration of the diastole (relaxation) phase provides more space and a better supply of oxygen to the heart muscle.
With increasing training (as the level of physical performance increases), there is a clear decrease in all the main risk factors - cholesterol in the blood, blood pressure and body weight. Special mention should be made of the impact of health-improving physical education on the aging body. Physical culture is the main means of delaying age-related deterioration of physical qualities and a decrease in the adaptive abilities of the body in general and the cardiovascular system in particular, which are inevitable in the process of involution.
Age-related changes affect both the activity of the heart and the condition of peripheral vessels. With age, the heart's ability to exert maximum stress decreases significantly, which is manifested in an age-related decrease in the maximum heart rate. Adequate physical training and health-improving physical education classes can significantly stop age-related changes in various functions.
At any age, with the help of training, you can increase aerobic capacity and the level of endurance - indicators of the biological age of the body and its vitality. Thus, the health-improving effect of mass physical education is associated primarily with an increase in the aerobic capabilities of the body, the level of general endurance and physical performance. An increase in physical performance is accompanied by a preventive effect in relation to risk factors for cardiovascular diseases: a decrease in body weight and fat mass, cholesterol in the blood, a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate.
In addition, regular physical training can significantly slow down the development of age-related changes in physiological functions, as well as degenerative changes in various organs and systems (including delay and reverse development of atherosclerosis). In this regard, the musculoskeletal system is no exception. Performing physical exercises has a positive effect on all parts of the musculoskeletal system, preventing the development of degenerative changes associated with age and physical inactivity.
The mineralization of bone tissue and calcium content in the body increases, which prevents the development of osteoporosis. The flow of lymph to the articular cartilage and between the vertebral discs increases, which is the best means of preventing arthrosis and osteochondrosis. All these data indicate the invaluable positive impact of health-improving physical education on the human body.
In the life conditions of the school, the importance of physical education and the formation of a comprehensively and harmoniously developed personality - a school graduate with a high degree of readiness for professional activity - increases. Regular exercise in a variety of physical exercises and sports in the educational process at school gives the body an additional margin of strength, increasing the body's resistance to a wide variety of environmental factors.
Physical culture and sports in the educational process are used as a means of active development of individual and professionally significant qualities for students; they are used as a means of achieving physical improvement, as a means of social development of future specialists. The combination of physical detraining of the body and increased neuro-emotional stress of the body in conditions of intensified production and the accelerating pace of life leads to premature fatigue and errors in production activities, which are all the more serious the more complex equipment a person controls; fatigue is a phenomenon common to the entire living world . Fatigue in a healthy and normal person is a decrease in the functional capacity of organs and systems of the body, caused by excessive work and accompanied by a characteristic feeling of malaise, leading to various diseases and even early disability. A direct relationship has been established between schoolchildren’s academic performance and their physical development, and although a significant portion of people do not find a direct relationship between academic grades and the amount of physical activity at a university, it exists.
The mechanism of this relationship can be roughly compared to the action of inertial scales (due to inertia, they do not immediately weigh in one direction or another). In inertial scales, training and practicing physical exercises and sports, it is important to take into account the influence of two general factors: accumulation and the inevitability of changes. These factors can have positive and negative effects.
The positive effect is that with regular physical education and sports, many years of reserves of volitional qualities, resistance to stress, and mental performance are accumulated.
All this inevitably leads to an increase in the effectiveness of education at the university. The negative impact is that neglect of physical activity leads to the accumulation of risk factors, and this will inevitably sooner or later manifest itself in diseases, decreased mental and physical performance, and learning difficulties.
The works of many foreign and domestic scientists show that physically more developed people completed theoretical and practical tasks in the disciplines they studied faster and better, made fewer mistakes, and recovered faster from intense mental work. “The outstanding Russian physiologist N. E. Vvedensky wrote that every young organism under normal conditions carries within itself a reserve of strength and inclinations.
Usually only a part of these powers and inclinations is actually realized and used in later life, and in most cases only a small part. The pressing question is how to use as fully as possible the rich reserve of strength that is inherent in our body.” Doctors recommend starting physical exercise with infants. Unconditioned reflexes can be used for this. Passive movements and massage are also useful - they promote the physical development of the child. It should be noted that the physical and mental development of young children proceeds in parallel. Mastering movements and feeling objects with hands stimulates the development of speech centers. The formation of voluntary movements of the child is important in motor activity.
A newborn has a complex of conditioned and unconditioned reflexes, which ensures his survival in the first weeks of life. With the development and maturation of the nervous system, targeted, voluntary movements are formed on the basis of this complex.
The child begins to follow the movement of a bright toy, learns to touch it and push it away, and then grab it. It is not difficult to see in this a manifestation of orienting reflexes, which are also found in animals. The main goal of physical education in preschool age is to develop and improve walking, running, and climbing. Exercises and outdoor games engage a large number of muscles and improve coordination of movements.
Exercises related to emphasis, hanging, designed to develop strength and endurance are not recommended. Playing ball develops the eye well. Preschoolers benefit from games in which they need to roll a ball to a partner, middle-aged preschoolers benefit from games in which they need to throw a ball, older preschoolers benefit from throwing a ball from a certain distance. Children 4–6 years old can be taught swimming, skiing, skating, and cycling. In games that are recommended for primary schoolchildren.
Their motor skills are improved by complicating the exercises that were performed previously. In this case, great attention should be paid to correct posture and prevention of flat feet. Exercises that improve muscle feeling are of great importance in initial physical training. A trained person, unlike an untrained one, is able to feel the work of muscle groups performing auxiliary movements. Untrained people are not capable of this.
Typically, target movements are well understood and auxiliary movements are poorly understood. Younger schoolchildren benefit from games where they need to dose their efforts - work on the tempo of movement, range, degree of relaxation and muscle contraction. Then the speed of movements and their complexity gradually increase. When playing with children in grades 4–7, it is useful to master the correct movement technique in difficult conditions. They can also use sports equipment, but it is useful to limit power loads. Guys of this age can burn well.
Sawing, knitting, sewing, running short distances, participating in cross-country skiing, but it is better to start strength training at a later age. Schoolchildren in grades 8–10 can engage in almost all sports. During this period, adolescents intensively develop their skeleton, muscle mass increases, and sports and work skills are quite easily formed. Those who have completed the necessary training are allowed to work in agricultural production. But we must keep in mind that endurance, as a rule, lags behind strength, so rapid fatigue is possible, especially with unusual work.
Each profession requires the acquisition of not only a certain amount of knowledge, but also production skills. In adolescence, they are acquired much easier than after 20 years. Therefore, sets in vocational schools, where students are required to master the techniques of rational work on machines, instruments, etc., are advisable after the 8th grade. When choosing types of physical education, sports and professional specialization, one should take into account the individual characteristics of people and their gender. Boys are usually easier to cope with intense power loads, since they have a greater range of movements and strength, but they are inferior to girls in flexibility, endurance, and stability of attention in monotonous conditions. Exercises to develop endurance and speed, precision of coordination and movements can be performed by both boys and girls, strength gymnastics is recommended for boys, and exercises to develop flexibility are recommended for girls. Physical education allows you to avoid diseases such as curvature of the spine and flat feet.
Posture is the habitual position of a person’s body when standing, walking, or sitting. It depends on the curvature of the spine, the tilt of the pelvis and the development of the trunk muscles.
The physiological curves of the spine are formed by 6–7 years of age. With correct posture, the head and torso are on the same vertical line, the shoulders are turned and slightly lowered, the shoulder blades are pressed, the chest is slightly convex, and the stomach is retracted.
The curves of the spine are normal. Most often, poor posture occurs due to improper sitting: bending too low over the table, bending the torso to the side. But it also happens that bad posture is developed deliberately. So, some people think that a tense body position is a sign of courage. So they stand with their legs spread wide and leaning forward. Due to muscle tension, freedom of movement, ease, and a combination of smartness and flexibility are lost. Even poorly chosen exercises can lead to poor posture.
If not all muscles of the torso, arms, and back are involved in the work, then the symmetry of movements is disturbed, and this can affect the spine and shoulder girdle. Flat feet is a foot deformity in which the arches are flattened. With transverse flatfoot, the leg rests on all the metatarsal bones, and not on the first and fifth, as it should be normally. With longitudinal flatfoot, the longitudinal arch of the foot is flattened. The cause of the disease can be improperly selected shoes, prolonged walking or standing, or foot disease with poor circulation. With flat feet, the muscular and ligamentous apparatus of the foot suffers, it flattens and swells.
The heels turn to the side, the big toes turn towards the little toe and deform the rest. The disease manifests itself as aching pain in the foot, leg muscles, lower back, and thigh. Gait is disturbed. Walking barefoot, properly selected shoes, and special exercises help prevent flat feet.
Considering physical exercises as one of the main means of optimizing physical activity, it should be recognized that at the present stage the real physical activity of the population does not meet the adult social demands of the physical education movement and does not guarantee an effective increase in the physical condition of the population. Systems of specially organized forms of muscular activity, providing for an increase in physical condition to the proper level (“conditioning”), are called “conditioning training” or “health training”. Methods of such training vary in frequency, power and volume.
There are three methods of such training: The first method involves the primary use of cyclic exercises (walking, running, swimming, cycling), carried out continuously for 30 minutes or more. The second method involves the use of speed-strength exercises (uphill running, sports games, stretching exercises, resistance exercises, exercise machines), work activity from 15 seconds to 3 minutes with a number of repetitions 3-5 times with rest periods.
The third method uses an integrated approach to the use of physical exercises that stimulate both aerobic and anaerobic performance and improve motor qualities.
End of work -
This topic belongs to the section:
The harm of physical inactivity and the benefits of physical activity
During the long evolutionary development of man, a very close connection has developed between his motor functions and the activities of internal... Motor activity, regular physical education and sports -... To perform the function of support and movement in the human body, the musculoskeletal system is formed from the first days..
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In order for our body to work without disturbances, not much is needed. If you are in absolute health, you only need to take measures to maintain it: ensure yourself a proper and balanced diet, give up all sorts of harmful substances (including alcohol and nicotine), get a good night’s sleep and rest properly. But as practice shows, a huge number of modern people suffer from health problems caused not by bad habits or eating disorders. The cause of such diseases is the lack of physical activity, the consequences of which do not appear immediately. So you don’t immediately understand what the reason is...
The almost complete absence of physical activity negatively affects the activity of the entire body. Sedentary work or forced stay in bed leads to a gradual weakening of the muscles, as a result of which they begin to atrophy. People become less strong and resilient. Physical inactivity is fraught with disruption of neuro-reflex connections, which over time leads to the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia, depression and some other pathological conditions.
Prolonged inactivity leads to a decrease in the rate of fat burning. This can lead to obesity, slow blood flow, and decreased insulin effectiveness. Accordingly, with a lack of physical activity, the likelihood of developing diabetes mellitus increases by an order of magnitude.
And an increase in the amount of body fat can lead to hormonal imbalance in both men and women. In representatives of the stronger sex, obesity is fraught with the production of estrogen in significant quantities and a decrease in the synthesis of testosterone (male hormone). In women, gaining excess weight can lead to menstrual irregularities and even infertility.
Among other things, fat deposits also appear around internal organs, which significantly impedes their functioning and leads to the development of various health problems.
If a person is constantly in a sitting position, his lumbar intervertebral discs are subject to special pressure. During this type of work, the head often tilts forward, and the shoulders try to compensate for the weight transfer. The muscles and ligaments in the lower back are subject to increased stress. This position leads to disturbances in the functioning of the spine. With physical inactivity, the likelihood of developing osteochondrosis in various parts of the spine increases by an order of magnitude, the earliest manifestations of which are painful sensations. Thinning of bone tissue – osteoporosis, and curvature of the spine – scoliosis may also occur.
Problems with the spine, combined with poor circulation, lead to headaches. People who do not exercise often suffer from decreased concentration, reduced brain activity, poor health and low mood. They don’t get enough sleep and feel “broken.” The classic problem for patients with physical inactivity is chronic fatigue syndrome.
Doctors say that the lack of full physical activity can lead to the development of cancer. Thus, physical inactivity significantly increases the likelihood of breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancer. As is known, normal potency in men largely depends on the sufficiency of blood flow to the pelvis. If a person constantly sits and does not perform even minimal exercises, stagnant processes develop. Accordingly, erectile function worsens by an order of magnitude, or even disappears altogether.
The organs of the reproductive system are especially sensitive to lack of physical activity. Thus, in women and men, prolonged physical inactivity can cause circulatory problems in the pelvis, which can lead to the development of varicose veins, prostatitis and other problems.
Prolonged stay in a static position also negatively affects the activity of the cardiovascular system, which is fraught with the development of various ailments of the heart and blood vessels. Thus, physical inactivity can lead to the development of atherosclerosis, angina pectoris and even heart attack.
Those people who sit for a long time at the table are faced with the problem of poor blood circulation in the lower extremities. This is fraught with the development of varicose veins. Most often, this disorder occurs in women, which is explained by the characteristics of the body.
If a person crosses his legs, the likelihood of the occurrence of such a disease increases by an order of magnitude, because the vessels are pinched, which causes stagnation of blood in certain areas.
Poor circulation caused by lack of physical activity often leads to hemorrhoids. Also, stagnant processes in the pelvis are fraught with constant constipation.
Doctors say that long-term lack of physical activity increases the likelihood of early death among representatives of different sexes by 6.9%.
What to do?
If your job involves staying in a static position for long periods of time (especially sitting), be sure to stop from time to time to stretch. In your free time from work, try to walk more, visit the pool or fitness club. You can also do gymnastics at home.
Physical activity should be a mandatory part of every person's lifestyle.
Muscle weakness syndrome is called myasthenia gravis - a pathological process of an autoimmune nature that reduces muscle contractility. This disease can develop as a result of damage to the anatomical components of the limbs (vessels, bones, articular surfaces, nerves). Muscle weakness can develop in both the arms and legs. In this section we will look at the main causes of muscle weakness in the legs and arms and their treatment.
Main symptoms of myasthenia gravis:
- 1. Decreased muscle strength. The measurement can be made either using a special tool - a dynamometer, or the hands of an examining doctor. To assess muscle strength without an instrument, the doctor simultaneously shakes the patient's two hands while assessing the symmetry of muscle tension.
- 2. Difficulty performing routine tasks (walking, climbing stairs, holding a mug in your hands, writing with a pen, carrying moderately heavy packages);
- 3. In addition to decreased strength in a particular limb, blepharoptosis (drooping of the eyelid), difficulty swallowing, speaking, or chewing may occur.
Causes of muscle weakness in the legs
This syndrome in the legs most often develops due to the following reasons:
- 1. atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities;
- 2. pinching of the innervating nerve;
- 3. varicose veins of the lower extremities;
- 4. wearing uncomfortable shoes or flat feet;
- 5. damage to blood vessels or muscles by infectious agents;
- 6. metabolic disorders (damage to the thyroid gland);
- 7. calcium deficiency in the body.
Causes of weakness in the hands
The syndrome develops much less frequently in the arms than in the legs. Its main reasons:
- 1. atherosclerosis of the vessels of the upper extremities;
- 2. pinching, injury, hypothermia of one of the nerves;
- 3. sudden changes in blood pressure;
- 4. stroke;
- 5. infectious damage to blood vessels and muscles of the upper extremities;
- 6. metabolic disorders;
- 7. lack of calcium in the body.
Treatment of muscle weakness
Severe flaccidity in the legs and arms causes discomfort to the patient. To the question “How to treat muscle weakness?” experts answer that there are several methods: conservative (medicinal) method, surgery and physiotherapy. If the cause of weakness lies in infection, then antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral drugs are used. Additionally, physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed that improve blood flow in the area of the necessary muscles.
Treatment depends on the cause that causes it (injuries, infections, genetic, autoimmune processes, consequences of stroke, etc.). If muscle weakness occurs, you should immediately contact a specialist in neuromuscular pathology.
