A nurse is performing passive range of motion on a client who had a stroke. The nurse should identify that passive range of motion is performed to increase which of the following?

A. Passive range of motion (PROM) helps maintain or increase joint flexibility and mobility by moving the joints through their natural range without the client actively contracting muscles. This prevents stiffness, contractures, and loss of function in clients who have limited voluntary movement, such as after a stroke. B. PROM does not significantly affect bone density, which is more influenced by weight-bearing activity. C. PROM does not increase muscle strength, as the client’s muscles are not actively contracting during the movement. D. PROM does not increase muscle mass, since muscle growth requires active resistance or exercise.