Final answer:
Passive exercises are therapeutic activities done without the patient's muscular effort, involving movement performed by a therapist to aid in rehabilitation, particularly helpful for severe impairments or early recovery stages. Swimming is more effective for osteoarthritis treatment due to its low-impact nature, rather than preventing osteoporosis, which requires weight-bearing exercises.
Step-by-step explanation:
Passive exercises are therapeutic activities in which the patient does not exert effort, but rather the movement is performed by an external force or the therapist. These exercises are used to revive muscles and joints, especially when the patient may not have the strength, coordination, or capability to perform active movements due to injury, surgery, or neurological conditions. By applying specific forces and torques, therapists can work on improving the range of motion, maintaining flexibility, and preventing muscle atrophy. Passive exercises are particularly important for patients with severe impairments or during the initial stages of rehabilitation when active participation is not possible.
Swimming would likely be more effective as a treatment for osteoarthritis rather than preventing osteoporosis. This is because swimming is a low-impact exercise that allows the joints to move without bearing the full weight of the body, thus relieving stress on them, which is beneficial for osteoarthritis. Although swimming does encourage muscular strength, it does not provide the weight-bearing forces typically associated with the prevention or slowing of osteoporosis, which requires exercises that promote bone density through mechanical stress.