Vibration attenuates spasm-like activity in humans with spinal cord injury.

Key Points: Cutaneous reflexes were tested to examine the neuronal mechanisms contributing to muscle spasms in humans with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Specifically, we tested the effect of Achilles and tibialis anterior tendon vibration on the early and late components of the cutaneous reflex and reciprocal Ia inhibition in the soleus and tibialis anterior muscles in humans with chronic SCI. We found that tendon vibration reduced the amplitude of later but not earlier cutaneous reflex in the antagonist but not in the agonist muscle relative to the location of the vibration.

Improved motor unit number estimate when motor unit alternation is addressed.

Motor unit number estimation (MUNE) is important for determining motoneuron survival with age or in conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or spinal cord injury. The original incremental method and approaches that were introduced to minimize alternation (e.g.

Characterization of Involuntary Contractions after Spinal Cord Injury Reveals Associations between Physiological and Self-Reported Measures of Spasticity.

Correlations between physiological, clinical and self-reported assessments of spasticity are often weak. Our aims were to quantify functional, self-reported and physiological indices of spasticity in individuals with thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI; 3 women, 9 men; 19-52 years), and to compare the strength and direction of associations between these measures. The functional measure we introduced involved recording involuntary electromyographic activity during a transfer from wheelchair to bed which is a daily task necessary for function.

Muscle Activity in Single- vs. Double-Leg Squats.

Muscular activity, vertical displacement and ground reaction forces of back squats (BS), rear-leg elevated split squats (RLESS) and split squats (SS) were examined. Nine resistance-trained men reported for two sessions. The first session consisted of the consent process, practice, and BS 1-repetition maximum testing.