Endurance

Endurance refers to the ability to perform low-intensity, repetitive, or sustained activities over a prolonged period of time. It is of two types: Cardiopulmonary (total body) endurance Muscle (local) endurance

Cardiopulmonary endurance ² It is associated with repetitive, dynamic motor activities such as walking, cycling, swimming, which involve use of the large muscles of the body.

Muscle endurance ² It is the ability of a muscle to contract repeatedly against a load (resistance), generate and sustain tension and resist fatigue over a prolonged period of time. The term aerobic power is sometimes used interchangeably with muscle endurance.

Maintenance of balance and proper alignment of the body segments requires sustained control or endurance by the postural muscles. In fact, almost all daily activities require some degree of muscle and cardiopulmonary endurance.

Endurance training (endurance exercise) ² It is characterized by having a muscle contract and lift or lower a load for many repetitions or sustain a muscle contraction for an extended period of time.

The key elements of endurance training are ² 1. Low intensity muscle contractions 2. Large number of repetitions 3. Prolonged time period

Endurance training can also be accomplished by maintaining isometric muscle contraction for incrementally longer periods of time. Because it is performed against low levels of resistance, it can be initiated very early in a rehabilitation program without risk of injury to healing tissues.

Effects of aerobic exercises on endurance ² 1.Muscles adapt to endurance training by increase in their oxidative and metabolic capacities, which allows better delivery and use of oxygen. 2.The aerobic production of ATP is increased by increasing the number of metabolic enzymes and mitochondrial proteins.