During healing, exercise increases oxygen delivery to tissues by which mechanism?

During healing, exercise increases oxygen delivery to tissues by which mechanism?

• A. By decreasing inflammation
• B. By stimulating circulation and oxygen delivery
• C. By increasing metabolic rate
• D. By promoting edema

Answer: (B)

During healing, exercise boosts oxygen delivery to tissues by increasing circulation. When you exercise, heart rate and the amount of blood pumped per beat rise, so more oxygenated blood reaches the injured area. The rhythmic muscle contractions act like a pump, improving venous return and overall perfusion of the tissues. Local metabolites released in active muscle—such as CO2, adenosine, and lactic acid—cause nearby arterioles to dilate, further increasing blood flow to the site and delivering more oxygen where it’s needed. This enhanced oxygen supply supports important repair processes like fibroblast activity, collagen synthesis, and new blood vessel formation. Edema isn’t promoted by exercise; in fact, the improved venous and lymphatic drainage from the muscle pump helps reduce edema and facilitates oxygen diffusion. Increasing metabolic rate raises the tissue’s oxygen demand, not its delivery, so it doesn’t explain the mechanism.

During healing, exercise boosts oxygen delivery to tissues by increasing circulation. When you exercise, heart rate and the amount of blood pumped per beat rise, so more oxygenated blood reaches the injured area. The rhythmic muscle contractions act like a pump, improving venous return and overall perfusion of the tissues. Local metabolites released in active muscle—such as CO2, adenosine, and lactic acid—cause nearby arterioles to dilate, further increasing blood flow to the site and delivering more oxygen where it’s needed. This enhanced oxygen supply supports important repair processes like fibroblast activity, collagen synthesis, and new blood vessel formation. Edema isn’t promoted by exercise; in fact, the improved venous and lymphatic drainage from the muscle pump helps reduce edema and facilitates oxygen diffusion. Increasing metabolic rate raises the tissue’s oxygen demand, not its delivery, so it doesn’t explain the mechanism.