Non-weight bearing exercises are generally recommended for rehabilitation after surgery or injury and are also used during the treatment of joint diseases like arthritis. These movements encourage blood flow to facilitate healing. Exercise is also important to maintain muscle strength and joint mobility. Your doctor or physical therapist may recommend active and passive range of motion exercises to begin your rehabilitation program.
Passive and Self-Assisted Range of Motion
During passive range of motion movements, another person or machine is moving your limbs for you. Self-assisted range of motion exercises, however, are those you perform yourself. You will use, for example, a stronger arm to assist a weaker arm through a motion. These motions may not build muscle tone, but they will prevent joints from freezing or becoming stiff, as well as potentially help your neuromuscular connections "remember" how to perform a certain movement. Passive range of motion exercises include having someone raise your arm up over your head and lower it back down gently. Likewise, you can use one hand flex and extend your wrist or turn your head gently from side to side for self-assisted exercise.
Active Range of Motion Exercises
Active range of motion exercises are performed using your own muscular strength. Your doctor or therapist will ask you to rotate your affected ankle, raise and lower your leg, bend and straighten your leg, or move your arms in circles. If you are rehabilitating for a certain sport, like baseball, your therapist may recommend going through some of the motions you would usually perform during a game.
Isometric Exercises
Another way to work muscles without weight is to perform isometric muscle contractions. Isometric contractions involve muscular actions where your limb doesn't move, for example, pushing your hand against a wall. Your muscles become taught and then relax. During knee joint rehabilitation, isometric leg exercises are often performed to gently strengthen the muscles of the knee joint. Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you and your hands placed on the floor to stabilize your body. Try to bend your leg, pressing your heel into the floor. Hold this contraction for a few seconds before relaxing your leg.
Static Exercises
Static strength exercises involve moving a joint and holding a muscle contraction. Lie on your back and place a rolled towel under your knee to support your joint, readying it for easy movement. Flexing your foot activates muscles in your lower leg. After flexing, you can slowly straighten your leg and contract your quadriceps, or front thigh muscles, before lowering your leg back to the floor. To work the opposite muscle group, stand and raise your heel toward your buttocks while flexing the foot to activate and strengthen your back thigh muscles without using weight.
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