scholarly journals Fatigue-induced adjustment in antagonist coactivation by old adults during a steadiness task

2016 ◽  
Vol 120 (9) ◽  
pp. 1039-1046 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Arellano ◽  
David Caha ◽  
Joseph E. Hennessey ◽  
Ioannis G. Amiridis ◽  
Stéphane Baudry ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to determine the adjustments in the level of coactivation during a steadiness task performed by young and old adults after the torque-generating capacity of the antagonist muscles was reduced by a fatiguing contraction. Torque steadiness (coefficient of variation) and electromyographic activity of the extensor and flexor carpi radialis muscles were measured as participants matched a wrist extensor target torque (10% maximum) before and after sustaining an isometric contraction (30% maximum) with wrist flexors to task failure. Time to failure was similar ( P = 0.631) for young (417 ± 121 s) and old (452 ± 174 s) adults. The reduction in maximal voluntary contraction torque (%initial) for the wrist flexors after the fatiguing contraction was greater ( P = 0.006) for young (32.5 ± 13.7%) than old (21.8 ± 6.6%) adults. Moreover, maximal voluntary contraction torque for the wrist extensors declined for old (−13.7 ± 12.7%; P = 0.030), but not young (−5.4 ± 13.8%; P = 0.167), adults. Torque steadiness during the matching task with the wrist extensors was similar before and after the fatiguing contraction for both groups, but the level of coactivation increased after the fatiguing contraction for old ( P = 0.049) but not young ( P = 0.137) adults and was twice the amplitude for old adults ( P = 0.002). These data reveal that old adults are able to adjust the amount of antagonist muscle activity independent of the agonist muscle during steady submaximal contractions.

1997 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 573-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Jaskólska ◽  
Artur Jaskólski

Twenty-two young male subjects were tested to estimate the behavior of the early and late phases of relaxation from a 3-s maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) under the influence of fatigue. Less demanding and more demanding protocols of intermittent hand grip exercise were used to fatigue muscle. Before and after fatigue, the early and late relaxation time, maximal relaxation rate, and half-relaxation time were measured. The results showed that during voluntary movement (a) the early phase of relaxation was independent of the mode of intermittent exercise and did not change significantly after fatigue; (b) the late relaxation time and absolute maximal relaxation rate were slower after both protocols, with the changes more pronounced following the more demanding protocol; and (c) the half-relaxation time and relative maximal relaxation rate were changed only in the more demanding protocol. It is concluded that unlike the relaxation following electrical stimulation of isolated muscle, the early phase of relaxation from voluntary contraction appears to be the most resistant to the type of intermittent fatiguing exercise used in the present study, whereas the late relaxation time was the most sensitive to this type of fatigue. Key words: hand grip exercise, late relaxation time, early relaxation time, half-relaxation time


2007 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 1000-1006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thorsten Rudroff ◽  
Benjamin K. Barry ◽  
Amy L. Stone ◽  
Carolyn J. Barry ◽  
Roger M. Enoka

Time to failure and electromyogram activity were measured during two types of sustained submaximal contractions with the elbow flexors that required each subject to exert the same net muscle torque with the forearm in two different postures. Twenty men performed the tasks, either by maintaining a constant force while pushing against a force transducer (force task), or by supporting an equivalent load while maintaining a constant elbow angle (position task). The time to failure for the position task with the elbow flexed at 1.57 rad and the forearm horizontal was less than that for the force task (5.2 ± 2.6 and 8.8 ± 3.6 min, P = 0.003), whereas it was similar when the forearm was vertical (7.9 ± 4.1 and 7.8 ± 4.5 min, P = 0.995). The activity of the rotator cuff muscles was greater during the position tasks (25.1 ± 10.1% maximal voluntary contraction) compared with the force tasks (15.2 ± 5.4% maximal voluntary contraction, P < 0.001) in both forearm postures. However, the rates of increase in electromyogram of the accessory muscles and mean arterial pressure were greater for the position task only when the forearm was horizontal ( P < 0.05), whereas it was similar for the elbow flexors. These findings indicate that forearm posture influences the difference in the time to failure for the two fatiguing contractions. When there was a difference between the two tasks, the task with the briefer time to failure involved greater rates of increase in accessory muscle activity and mean arterial pressure.


2000 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 1420-1424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Motoki Kouzaki ◽  
Minoru Shinohara ◽  
Tetsuo Fukunaga

The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of prolonged tonic vibration applied to a single synergist muscle on maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and maximal rate of force development (dF/d t max). The knee extension MVC force and surface electromyogram (EMG) from the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), and vastus medialis (VM) during MVC were recorded before and after vibration of RF muscle at 30 Hz for 30 min. MVC, dF/d t max, and the integrated EMG (iEMG) of RF decreased significantly after prolonged tonic vibration in spite of no changes in iEMG of VL and VM. The present results indicate that MVC and dF/d t max may be influenced by the attenuated Ia afferent functions of a single synergist muscle.


1990 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 1146-1151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith L. Gooch ◽  
Bruce Y. Newton ◽  
Jack H. Petajan

1999 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 1283-1291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janne Avela ◽  
Heikki Kyröläinen ◽  
Paavo V. Komi

Experiments were carried out to test the effect of prolonged and repeated passive stretching (RPS) of the triceps surae muscle on reflex sensitivity. The results demonstrated a clear deterioration of muscle function immediately after RPS. Maximal voluntary contraction, average electromyographic activity of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, and zero crossing rate of the soleus muscle (recorded from 50% maximal voluntary contraction) decreased on average by 23.2, 19.9, 16.5, and 12.2%, respectively. These changes were associated with a clear immediate reduction in the reflex sensitivity; stretch reflex peak-to-peak amplitude decreased by 84.8%, and the ratio of the electrically induced maximal Hoffmann reflex to the maximal mass compound action potential decreased by 43.8%. Interestingly, a significant ( P < 0.01) reduction in the stretch-resisting force of the measured muscles was observed. Serum creatine kinase activity stayed unaltered. This study presents evidence that the mechanism that decreases the sensitivity of short-latency reflexes can be activated because of RPS. The origin of this system seems to be a reduction in the activity of the large-diameter afferents, resulting from the reduced sensitivity of the muscle spindles to repeated stretch.


2006 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 228-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan R. L. Baldwin ◽  
Piotr M. Klakowicz ◽  
David F. Collins

Electrical stimulation (1-ms pulses, 100 Hz) produces more torque than expected from motor axon activation (extra contractions). This experiment investigates the most effective method of delivering this stimulation for neuromuscular electrical stimulation. Surface stimulation (1-ms pulses; 20 Hz for 2 s, 100 Hz for 2 s, 20 Hz for 3 s) was delivered to triceps surae and wrist flexors (muscle stimulation) and to median and tibial nerves (nerve stimulation) at two intensities. Contractions were evaluated for amplitude, consistency, and stability. Surface electromyograph was collected to assess how H-reflexes and M-waves contribute. In the triceps surae, muscle stimulation produced the largest absolute contractions (23% maximal voluntary contraction), evoked the largest extra contractions as torque increased by 412% after the 100-Hz stimulation, and was more consistent and stable compared with tibial nerve stimulation. Absolute and extra contraction amplitude, consistency, and stability of evoked wrist flexor torques were similar between stimulation types: torques reached 11% maximal voluntary contraction, and extra contractions increased torque by 161%. Extra contractions were 10 times larger in plantar flexors compared with wrist flexors with muscle stimulation but were similar with nerve stimulation. For triceps surae, H reflexes were 3.4 times larger than M waves during nerve stimulation, yet M waves were 15 times larger than H reflexes during muscle stimulation. M waves in the wrist flexors were larger than H reflexes during nerve (8.5 times) and muscle (18.5 times) stimulation. This is an initial step toward utilizing extra contractions for neuromuscular electrical stimulation and the first to demonstrate their presence in the wrist flexors.


2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (12) ◽  
pp. 1116-1122
Author(s):  
Djordje Petrovic ◽  
Sanja Vujkov ◽  
Branislava Petronijevic ◽  
Ivan Sarcev ◽  
Igor Stojanac

Background/Aim. The muscles of the orofacial region have great influence on the development of dentition and occlusion formation. It is known that improper function of these muscles is one of the major etiological factors in malocclusion. A correlation between function disorders of orofacial muscle and occlusion disorders has been confirmed, as well as a correlation between the bioelectric activity of the masticatory muscles, recorded by electromyography, and bite force upon maximal voluntary contraction of these muscles. The aim of the study was to analyze the bioelectriacal activity of temporal and masseter muscles. Methods. The sample consisted of 100 subjects of both sexes, divided into the control group (n = 30) with neutral and complete dental arches, and the study group (n = 70) of patients with distal occlusion. Electromyographic measurement of bioelectric potentials in all the subjects was conducted for the examined muscles in the physiologic rest position, central mandible occlusion, and during maximal voluntary contraction of muscles and saliva swallowing, in Angle Class I and II/2 occlusal relation-ships, prior to treatment, after one year of the orthodontic treatment and after the treatment with an activator. Results. Comparing the values of thebioelectrical activity in the control and the study group before the treatment, a decreased muscle activity was established in all the three positions in the study group. After the first year of orthodontic treatment the results showed an elevation in the bioelectrical activity in both muscles. After treatment with an activator, the bioelectrical activity in both muscles in the study group was higher than before the treatment, as it is confirmed by a positive highly significant coefficient of correlation. Conclusion. In all the three measured positions of the mandible with Angle Class II/2 malocclusion, bioelectrical activity was lowest at baseline and increased during the first year of treatment, and at the end of the treatment it partially reduced close to the approximate values in normal occlusion. Research on electromyographic activity of masticatory muscles is useful in everyday clinical practice, especially in present distinctive skeletal discrepancy before, during and after orthodontic treatment, if on the bases of the results we can evaluate the treatment, but also determine the start and duration of the retention period and retention device type.


1983 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 313-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Bigland-Ritchie ◽  
R. Johansson ◽  
O. C. Lippold ◽  
J. J. Woods

Measurements were made from the human adductor pollicis muscle of force, contractile speed, and electromyographic activity (EMG) before, during, and after maximal isometric voluntary contractions sustained for 60 s. The use of brief test periods of maximal nerve stimulation with single shocks or trains of shocks enabled various muscle mechanical properties to be studied throughout each contraction. Electrical activity was measured after rectification and smoothing of the surface potentials and also by counting the total number of potentials per unit time from a population of motor units using fine wire intramuscular electrodes. During a 60-s maximal voluntary contraction, the force fell by 30-50%. Throughout the experiment the voluntary force matched that produced by supramaximal tetanic nerve stimulation. This indicated that, with sufficient practice, full muscle activation could be maintained by voluntary effort. However, the amplitude of the smoothed, rectifed EMG and the rate of spike counts declined. Since no evidence for neuromuscular block was found, the decline in EMG and spike counts was attributed to a progressive reduction of the neural drive from the central nervous system, despite maintained maximum effort. After the prolonged voluntary contractions twitch duration was prolonged, mainly as a result of slowing in relaxation rate. Twitch summation in unfused tetani increased. Both the maximum rate of relaxation and the time course of force decay declined by 50-70%. Similar changes were seen in both voluntary contractions and in test periods of stimulation. The percentage change in muscle contractile speed measured by these parameters approximately equaled the percentage change in the surface EMG measured simultaneously. It is concluded that 1) during a 60-s sustained maximal voluntary contraction there is a progressive slowing of contraction speed such that the excitation rate required to give maximal force generation is reduced, 2) the simultaneous decline in EMG may be due to a continuous reduction in motoneuron discharge rate, and 3) the EMG decline may not necessarily contribute to force loss.


1993 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 399-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith L. Gooch ◽  
Jeffrey Randle

Capacity to match a low level of elbow flexion force maintained in the control arm was measured in the experimental arm in 16 subjects before and after maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Prior to a 1-min. MVC, the mean force exerted by the experimental arm was 3.4 ± 1.0 kg when attempting to match the tension of a 2.3-kg weight in the control arm. After the MVC, the mean force exerted in the experimental arm was 4.4 ± 2.6 kg. The change in perception of force after a prolonged MVC as demonstrated in this study may be due to postcontraction potentiation of contraction, which has been demonstrated by others after a brief MVC.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Lusa Cadore ◽  
Miriam González-Izal ◽  
Rafael Grazioli ◽  
Igor Setuain ◽  
Ronei Silveira Pinto ◽  
...  

Purpose: To compare the concentric and eccentric training effects on fatigue induced by eccentric and concentric protocols. Methods: A total of 22 men and women (22 [3.6] y) were assigned to concentric (GCON, n = 11) or eccentric training (GECC, n = 11). The concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) protocols were composed of 4 sets of 20 knee-extension/flexion repetitions. Force losses were analyzed by comparing 10 repetitions’ mean torques during the protocols and by verifying the maximal voluntary contraction and rate of torque development before and after the protocols. Muscle damage was assessed using echo intensity of the vastus lateralis 48 h after the protocols. Training consisted of 6 wk of isokinetic exercise at 60°/s (concentric or eccentric) twice weekly. Results: Before training, both protocols resulted in dynamic and isometric force losses in GCON and GECC (P < .01), but the magnitude was greater after the CON protocol than after the ECC protocol (P < .001). After training, both GCON and GECC showed similar force decreases during the CON and ECC protocols (P < .01), and these changes were not different from the pretraining decreases. Regarding maximal voluntary contraction after training, GECC showed lower force decreases than GCON after ECC exercise (−13.7% vs −22.3%, respectively, P < .05), whereas GCON showed lower maximal voluntary contraction decreases after CON exercise compared with pretraining (−29.2%, P < .05). Losses in rate of torque development were similar after the protocols before and after the training regimens. No changes in echo intensity were observed after the protocols before and after training. Conclusion: Both interventions resulted in similar force decreases during fatigue protocols compared with those associated with pretraining.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document