Modulation of cutaneous reflexes in trunk muscles induced by stimulating the cutaneous nerve that innervates the foot during walking and standing in humans
10.7600/jspfsm.64.135
- VernacularTitle:立位および歩行時における足部皮膚神経刺激によって誘発された体幹筋群皮膚反射の動態
- Author:
Shinya Suzuki
;
Genki Futatsubashi
;
Hiroyuki Ohtsuka
;
Satoshi Haraguchi
;
Tsuyoshi Nakajima
;
Shigeki Ohmori
;
Syusaku Sasada
;
Tomoyoshi Komiyama
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
neural control;
walking;
standing;
trunk muscles;
cutaneous reflex
- From:Japanese Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine
2015;64(1):135-144
- CountryJapan
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Although the trunk segment shows well-coordinated movements in concert with the arms and legs during bipedal walking, little is understood about the neural mechanisms controlling the trunk muscles in response to sudden tactile sensations in the foot during walking. This study examined the cutaneous reflexes (CR) to shed light on the neural mechanisms underlying the regulation of the trunk muscles during walking and standing. Eleven healthy men participated in the study. Electromyographic (EMG) activities were recorded in the trapezius (TRAP), erector spinae (ES), and rectus abdominis (RA) muscles. To elicit CR, non-noxious electrical stimulation of the sural nerve at the ipsilateral lateral malleolus was applied during treadmill walking and tonic contraction of the test muscles during standing. During walking, cutaneous nerve stimulation in the foot gave rise to facilitatory CR in all the muscles, and the amplitude of the CR was strongly modulated in a phase-dependent manner. The amplitude of the background EMG and the amplitude of the CR showed a highly significant correlation in all the muscle tested during standing. However, this was true only in the ES during walking. In the RA, the inhibitory CR during standing changed to a facilitatory one during walking. In addition, reflex ratios were significantly larger during walking than standing. These findings suggest that common neural mechanisms in limb muscles could function in the TRAP and RA, however, in the ES disparate neural mechanisms play a crucial role in modulating cutaneous reflexes during walking and standing.
