What is Neuromuscular Activation?

Have you ever heard of neuromuscular activation? A term commonly used in the physical therapy world, neuromuscular activation is simply the combination of your nervous and muscular systems. It is used to help improve your exercises and decrease the decline of skeletal muscle mass in older adults.

Physical Therapists like to see their clients reach their maximum neuromuscular activation. This means that your nerves and muscular systems are working together in perfect harmony in order to reach optimal neuromuscular function. To achieve this, your Physical Therapist may ask you to do more controlled and compounded exercises. The controlled exercises help with your nervous system as you are focusing and involving your mind. Compound exercises work multiple muscle groups at the same time, thus developing muscle strength at a higher rate. Doing these exercises together improves and creates a better neuromuscular activation.

You may ask, why would I do this? Well the answer is simple, there a lot of benefits to achieving maximum neuromuscular activation. Having your nervous and muscular systems exercise daily will help you later down the road when you get older. As we age, our skeletal muscle mass tends to decline and result in age-related weaknesses. Engaging in neuromuscular activation helps prevent this from happening and it is an important contributing factor to a longer and healthier life.

Neuromuscular activation is great in fighting against age-related weaknesses and in improving both the nervous system and muscular system. It is important to get the most out of your neuromuscular activation so you can live a longer and healthier life as you grow older. Please consult your doctor before practicing exercises that engage neuromuscular activation.

For more information on neuromuscular activation, click here.

Article written by William Graves.