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Int J Sports Med 2006; 27(2): 124-130
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-837490
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Changes in the Reflex Excitability During and after a Sustained, Low-Intensity Muscle Contraction

D. A. Patikas1 , H. Bassa2 , C. Kotzamanidis2
  • 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Orthopaedic Clinic of Heidelberg, Germany
  • 2Department of Physical Education & Sport Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: November 15, 2004

Publication Date:
11 April 2005 (online)

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Abstract

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the soleus H-reflex amplitude during and after a low-intensity isometric contraction. Twelve healthy, untrained subjects performed a 10-minute isometric plantar flexion at 20 % of their maximum voluntary contraction torque output. The electromyogram, H-reflex, and maximum M-wave (Mmax) of the soleus muscle was recorded during and 10 minutes after the end of the contraction. The results indicated that the H-reflex increased significantly (mean ± SEM: 44.7 ± 16.6 %, p < 0.05), but when the fatigue protocol was over, the H-reflex was depressed for the first 3 minutes, relativel to the H-reflex that was recorded before fatigue, when the muscle was relaxed. The Mmax did not change significantly during the whole experiment. Furthermore, the stimulation frequency (0.1 vs. 0.3 Hz) did not have any significant effect on the H-reflex modulation. The results of the current study suggest that the reflex excitability is increased as fatigue develops, whereas this increase turns to depression for the first minutes of the recovery phase. The functional significance of these changes and the neural mechanisms which might be responsible are discussed.

Key words

Fatigue - soleus - H-reflex - M-wave - humans

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Dr. Ph.D. Dimitrios Patikas

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Orthopaedic Clinic of Heidelberg

Schlierbacher Landstraße 200 A

69118 Heidelberg

Germany

Phone: + 49(0)6221966720

Fax: + 49 (0) 62 21 96 67 25

Email: Dimitrios.Patikas@ok.uni-heidelberg.de

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