Influence of joint position on synergistic muscle activity after fatigue of a single muscle head

Abstract

Synergistic muscles compensate for the fatigued muscle in the flexed position but not in the extended position. Compensation mechanisms seem to depend on joint position.

Muscle force compensation among synergistic muscles after fatigue of a single muscle

“…M-wave amplitudes of the stimulated muscles decreased by À19.8% (SOL), À17.4% (GL) and À35.3% (GM). This is in line with previous studies which also found decreased M-wave amplitudes after high frequency stimulation similar to that used in the present study (Badier, Guillot, Danger, Tagliarini, & Jammes, 1999;Stutzig & Siebert, 2015). The M-wave amplitude decreased due to failure of action potential propagation on the sarcolemma (Bigland-Ritchie, 1984).…”

“…1A and F) were determined and averaged for pre-fatigue and post-fatigue test, separately. Although, torque was measured, we use the term force compensation in the discussion according to the previous literature (Stutzig & Siebert, 2015). The VAL was calculated from the MVCs with superimposed doublets and potentiated doublets ( Fig.…”

“…For example, it was observed that fatigue of a single muscle can be compensated for by synergistic muscles resulting in unchanged synergistic muscle forces (Akima, Foley, Prior, Dudley, & Meyer, 2002;Stutzig & Siebert, 2015;Stutzig, Siebert, Granacher, & Blickhan, 2012). Stutzig et al (2012) and Stutzig and Siebert (2015) fatigued the gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) solely and observed increased synergistic (soleus, gastrocnemius medialis) muscle activities (about 10%) during isometric maximum voluntary contractions (MVC: maximal contraction that a subject accepts as maximal and that is produced with appropriate continuous feedback of achievement (Gandevia, 2001)). Similar results have been reported by Akima et al (2002) who fatigued the vastus lateralis.…”

“…With regard to muscle synergies the triceps surae is a frequently examined muscle (Ciubotariu et al, 2004;Cronin et al, 2011;Sacco et al, 1997), because (1) compensating effects at MVC have been reported (Stutzig & Siebert, 2015), (2) it is an appropriate muscle group for measuring electrically evoked contractions and (3) the cross linkages between Ia fibers and a-motoneurons among the muscles of the triceps surae are known from experiments with decerebrated cats (Nichols, 1999). Approximately 80% of the force during plantar flexions originates from the triceps surae muscle (calculations are based on the cross-sectional area and the moment arms of the triceps surae) (Arndt, Komi, Bruggemann, & Lukkariniemi, 1998;Gregor, Komi, Browning, & Jarvinen, 1991).…”

“…Performing dynamic knee extensions at 50% MVC, they found increased muscle activities of the synergistic rectus femoris, vastus medialis and vastus intermedius. It is known that force compensating strategies depend on a variety of conditions such as muscle length (Stutzig & Siebert, 2015) and blood supply (Sacco, Newberry, McFadden, Brown, & McComas, 1997).…”