The Physiologic Aspects of Therapeutic Physical Exercise

A casual observation of a normal person in the midst of a feat of physical exercise impresses on one the important fact that all the systems of the body act in a nicely integrated manner toward an efficient achievement of unified action. During mobilization of the human body for physical activity, coordination of functions is of paramount importance. The optimal effects of physical exercise are attained when oxygen is efficiently, sufficiently and continuously provided through the respiratory system, fuel is generously made available for the various tissues, especially the muscles, impulses through the central nervous system are sent to the skeletal musculature in a coordinated and integrated manner, and the waste products are completely eliminated without overtaxing the excretory organs or causing any disturbance in the acid-base, electrolyte and water equilibria in the organism. SALIENT ANATOMIC FEATURES OF SKELETAL MUSCLE Since skeletal muscles give the most vivid evidence of the