Year 1 · Support and movement · Section 4.6
Healthy movement
Training muscles
When muscles are rarely used, they can become weaker and smaller. Regular, appropriate exercise can make muscles stronger and, with some types of training, larger. Stronger muscles can produce more force and improve performance.
Physical activity
Movement is good for muscles and can also support relaxation and physical fitness. Practising movements improves motor development:
- Coordination improves as muscles work together more effectively.
- Movements can become faster and more accurate.
- Repeated skills, such as cycling, become part of motor memory, so you can perform them with little conscious thought. This is an automated movement.
Muscle soreness
Muscle soreness often follows unfamiliar or strenuous exercise. It can involve small-scale muscle damage and the body's repair response. Gradual training helps muscles adapt, but does not prevent every injury or episode of soreness.
An injury is damage to a muscle, joint, bone or another tissue. Sensible preparation, suitable technique, gradual increases in activity and adequate recovery help manage injury risk.
- Warm-up: Gradually prepares the muscles and circulation for activity.
- Stretching: Can help maintain or improve flexibility. It does not reliably prevent post-exercise muscle soreness.
- Cool-down: A gradual reduction in activity after exercise, helping breathing and heart rate return towards resting levels. It does not guarantee that soreness will be prevented.
Repetitive strain injury
RSI, or repetitive strain injury, describes symptoms associated with repeated or sustained loading, for example during prolonged gaming or smartphone use. In Dutch, related complaints are also called KANS.
Early symptoms may include tingling, tiredness or tenderness in the arm, neck or shoulder. Pain and stiffness may later occur even at rest.
Regular breaks, varying activities and using a comfortable, supported working position can help reduce prolonged, repetitive loading.
Glossary
- Injury
- Damage to body tissues, such as muscles, joints or bones, caused by trauma or excessive loading.
- Coordination
- Controlling different muscles and body parts together to produce accurate movements.
- Physical fitness
- The body's capacity to perform physical activity and sustain effort.
- Cool-down
- Gentle activity after exercise that gradually reduces the intensity of effort.
- Automated movement
- A well-practised action carried out with little conscious attention.
- Motor memory
- The ability to retain and reproduce movement skills learned through practice.
- Stretching
- Movements or positions that lengthen muscles and can improve flexibility.
- RSI
- Symptoms associated with repetitive or sustained physical loading.
- Muscle soreness
- Aching or stiffness after strenuous or unfamiliar exercise.
- Warm-up
- Gentle activity that prepares muscles, breathing and circulation for greater effort.