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The importance of cutaneous feedback on neural activation during maximal voluntary contraction

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance of cutaneous feedback on neural activation during maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of the ankle plantar flexors.

Methods

The effects of cutaneous plantar anaesthesia were assessed in 15 subjects and compared to 15 controls, using a one-day pre/post-repeated measures design. Cutaneous plantar anaesthesia was induced by lidocaine injection at the centre of forefoot, lateral midfoot, and heel. Each subject performed isometric MVCs of the ankle plantar flexors. During each isometric ramp contraction, the following variables were assessed: maximal isometric torque; surface electromyography (EMG) activity of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles; and co-contraction index (CCI) between the MG and TA.

Results

For ankle torque, two-way ANOVA showed no significant interaction between the pre/post-measurements × group (p = 0.166). However, MG activity presented significant interactions between the pre/post-measurements × group (p = 0.014). Post hoc comparisons indicated a decrease of MG activity in the experimental group, from 85.9 ± 11.9 to 62.7 ± 30.8% (p = 0.016). Additionally, the post-anaesthesia MG activity of the experimental group differed statistically with pre- and post-MG activity of the control group (p = 0.027 and p = 0.008, respectively). For TA activity and CCI, two-way ANOVA detected no significant interactions between the pre/post-measurements × group (p = 0.605 and p = 0.332, respectively).

Conclusion

Our results indicate that during MVC, cutaneous feedback modulates neural activity to MG muscle, without changing the extent of MG–TA co-contraction.

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Abbreviations

MVC:

Maximal voluntary contraction

sEMG:

Surface electromyography

MG:

Medial gastrocnemius

TA:

Tibialis anterior

MIT:

Maximal isometric torque

CCI:

Co-contraction index

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Magister en Kinesiología y Biomecánica Clínica, Departamento de Kinesiología, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, Santiago, Chile

    Carlos Cruz-Montecinos

  2. Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

    Carlos Cruz-Montecinos

  3. Laboratory of Biomechanics and Kinesiology, San José Hospital, Santiago, Chile

    Carlos Cruz-Montecinos

  4. Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Huub Maas

  5. Pain Unit, San José Hospital, Santiago, Chile

    Carla Pellegrin-Friedmann

  6. Facultad de Ciencias de la Rehabilitacion, Universidad Andres Bello, Fernandez Concha 700, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile

    Claudio Tapia

  7. Department of Electrical Engineering, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile

    Claudio Tapia

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  1. Carlos Cruz-Montecinos
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  2. Huub Maas
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  3. Carla Pellegrin-Friedmann
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  4. Claudio Tapia
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Correspondence to Claudio Tapia.

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Communicated by Toshio Moritani.

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Cruz-Montecinos, C., Maas, H., Pellegrin-Friedmann, C. et al. The importance of cutaneous feedback on neural activation during maximal voluntary contraction. Eur J Appl Physiol 117, 2469–2477 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3734-6

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