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Maas H, Noort W. Knee movements cause changes in the firing behaviour of muscle spindles located within the mono-articular ankle extensor soleus in the rat. Exp Physiol 2024; 109:125-134. [PMID: 36827200 PMCID: PMC10988709 DOI: 10.1113/ep090764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
We recently showed that within an intact muscle compartment, changing the length of one muscle affects the firing behaviour of muscle spindles located within a neighbouring muscle. The conditions tested, however, involved muscle lengths and relative positions that were beyond physiological ranges. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of simulated knee movements on the firing behaviour of muscle spindles located within rat soleus (SO) muscle. Firing from single muscle spindle afferents in SO was measured intra-axonally for different lengths (static) and during lengthening (dynamic) of the lateral gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles. Also, the location of the spindle within the muscle was assessed. Changing the length of synergistic ankle plantar flexors (simulating different static knee positions, between 45 and 130°) affected the force threshold, but not the length threshold, of SO muscle spindles. The effects on type II afferents were substantially (four times) higher than those on type IA afferents. Triangular stretch-shortening of synergistic muscles (simulating dynamic knee joint rotations of 15°) caused sudden changes in the firing rate of SO type IA and II afferents. Lengthening decreased and shortening increased the firing rate, independent of spindle location. This supports our prediction that the major point of application of forces exerted by connections between adjacent muscles is at the distal end of SO. We conclude that muscle spindles provide the CNS with information about the condition of adjacent joints that the muscle does not span.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huub Maas
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement SciencesVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Amsterdam Movement SciencesAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Wendy Noort
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement SciencesVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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Fukutani A, Hashizume S, Isaka T. Measurements of tendon length changes during stretch-shortening cycles in rat soleus. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5381. [PMID: 37009784 PMCID: PMC10068606 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32370-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The muscle force attained during concentric contractions is augmented by a preceding eccentric contraction (the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) effect). At present, tendon elongation is considered the primary mechanism. However, we recently found that the magnitude of the SSC effect was not different, even after removing the Achilles tendon. To resolve these discrepant results, direct measurement of changes in Achille tendon length is required. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the influence of tendon elongation on the SSC effect by directly measuring the changes in Achilles tendon length. The rat soleus was subjected to pure concentric contractions (pure shortening trials) and concentric contractions with a preceding eccentric contraction (SSC trials). During these contractions, the Achilles tendon length was visualized using a video camera. The muscle force attained during the concentric contraction phase in the SSC trial was significantly larger than that in the pure shortening trial (p = 0.022), indicating the existence of the SSC effect. However, the changes in Achilles tendon length were not different between trials (i.e., the magnitude of tendon shortening attained during the shortening phase was 0.20 ± 0.14 mm for the SSC trial vs. 0.17 ± 0.09 mm for the pure shortening trial), indicating that the observed SSC effect is difficult to be explained by the elastic energy stored in tendons or muscle-tendon interaction. In conclusion, the effect of tendon elongation on the SSC effect should be reconsidered, and other factors may contribute to the SSC effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuki Fukutani
- Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Noji-higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga, 525-8577, Japan.
| | - Satoru Hashizume
- Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Noji-higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga, 525-8577, Japan
| | - Tadao Isaka
- Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Noji-higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga, 525-8577, Japan
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Cruz-Montecinos C, García-Massó X, Maas H, Cerda M, Ruiz-Del-Solar J, Tapia C. Detection of intermuscular coordination based on the causality of empirical mode decomposition. Med Biol Eng Comput 2023; 61:497-509. [PMID: 36527531 DOI: 10.1007/s11517-022-02736-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Considering the stochastic nature of electromyographic (EMG) signals, nonlinear methods may be a more accurate approach to study intermuscular coordination than the linear approach. The aims of this study were to assess the coordination between two ankle plantar flexors using EMG by applying the causal decomposition approach and assessing whether the intermuscular coordination is affected by the slope of the treadmill. The medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus muscles (SOL) were analyzed during the treadmill walking at inclinations of 0°, 5°, and 10°. The coordination was evaluated using ensemble empirical mode decomposition, and the causal interaction was encoded by the instantaneous phase dependence of time series bi-directional causality. To estimate the mutual predictability between MG and SOL, the cross-approximate entropy (XApEn) was assessed. The maximal causal interaction was observed between 40 and 75 Hz independent of inclination. XApEn showed a significant decrease between 0° and 5° (p = 0.028), between 5° and 10° (p = 0.038), and between 0° and 10° (p = 0.014), indicating an increase in coordination. Thus, causal decomposition is an appropriate methodology to study intermuscular coordination. These results indicate that the variation of loading through the change in treadmill inclination increases the interaction of the shared input between MG and SOL, suggesting increased intermuscular coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Cruz-Montecinos
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Laboratory of Clinical Biomechanics, Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Av. Independencia 1027, Independencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Xavier García-Massó
- Department of Teaching of Musical, Visual and Corporal Expression, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,Human Movement Analysis Group, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Huub Maas
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mauricio Cerda
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Center for Medical Informatics and Telemedicine (CIMT), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Biomedical Neuroscience Institute (BNI), Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Claudio Tapia
- Laboratory of Clinical Biomechanics, Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Av. Independencia 1027, Independencia, Santiago, Chile. .,Departamento de Kinesiología, Facultad de Artes Y Educación Física, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de La Educación, Santiago, Chile.
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Cruz-Montecinos C, Pérez-Alenda S, Cerda M, Maas H. Modular reorganization of gait in chronic but not in artificial knee joint constraint. J Neurophysiol 2021; 126:516-531. [PMID: 34133242 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00418.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It is currently unknown if modular reorganization does occur if not the central nervous system, but the musculoskeletal system is affected. The aims of this study were to investigate 1) the effects of an artificial knee joint constraint on the modular organization of gait in healthy subjects; and 2) the differences in modular organization between healthy subjects with an artificial knee joint constraint and people with a similar but chronic knee joint constraint. Eleven healthy subjects and eight people with a chronic knee joint constraint walked overground at 1 m/s. The healthy subjects also walked with a constraint limiting knee joint movement to 20°. The total variance accounted (tVAF) for one to four synergies and modular organization were assessed using surface electromyography from 11 leg muscles. The distribution of number of synergies were not significantly different between groups. The tVAF and the motor modules were not significantly affected by the artificial knee constraint. A higher tVAF for one and two synergies, as well as merging of motor modules were observed in the chronic knee constraint group. We conclude that in the short-term a knee constraint does not affect the modular organization of gait, but in the long-term a knee constraint results in modular reorganization. These results indicate that merging of motor modules may also occur when changes in the mechanics of the musculoskeletal system is the primary cause of the motor impairment.NEW & NOTEWORTHY It is currently unknown if modular reorganization does occur if not the central nervous system, but the musculoskeletal system is affected. This study showed that in the short-term a knee constraint does not affect the modular organization of gait, but in the long-term a knee constraint results in modular reorganization. These results indicate that modular reorganization may also occur when changes in the mechanics of the musculoskeletal system is the primary cause of the motor impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Cruz-Montecinos
- Physiotherapy in Motion Multispeciality Research Group (PTinMOTION), Department of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Laboratory of Clinical Biomechanics, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sofía Pérez-Alenda
- Physiotherapy in Motion Multispeciality Research Group (PTinMOTION), Department of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mauricio Cerda
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Center for Medical Informatics and Telemedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago, Chile
| | - Huub Maas
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Cruz-Montecinos C, Pérez-Alenda S, Querol F, Cerda M, Maas H. Changes in Muscle Activity Patterns and Joint Kinematics During Gait in Hemophilic Arthropathy. Front Physiol 2020; 10:1575. [PMID: 32076411 PMCID: PMC7006441 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemophilic arthropathy is the result of repetitive intra-articular bleeding and synovial inflammation. In people with hemophilic arthropathy (PWHA), very little is known about the neural control of individual muscles during movement. The aim of the present study was to assess if the neural control of individual muscles and coordination between antagonistic muscle pairs and joint kinematics during gait are affected in PWHA. Thirteen control subjects (CG) walked overground at their preferred and slow velocity (1 m/s), and 14 PWHA walked overground at the preferred velocity (1 m/s). Joint kinematics and temporal gait parameters were assessed using four inertial sensors. Surface electromyography (EMG) was collected from gluteus maximus (GMAX), gluteus medius (GMED), vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), medial gastrocnemius (MG), lateral gastrocnemius (LG), soleus (SOL), tibialis anterior (TA), semitendinosus (ST), and biceps femoris (BF). Waveforms were compared using the time-series analysis through statistical parametric mapping. In PWHA compared to CG, EMG amplitude during the stance phase was higher for LG (for both velocities of the CG), BF (slow velocity only), and ST (preferred velocity only) (p < 0.05). Co-contraction during the stance phase was higher for MG-TA, LG-TA, VL-BF, VM-ST, LG-VL, and MG-VM (both velocities) (p < 0.05). MG and LG were excited earlier (preferred velocity only) (p < 0.05). A later offset during the stance phase was found for VL, BF, and ST (both velocities), and BF and GMAX (preferred velocity only) (p < 0.05). In addition, the range of motion in knee and ankle joints was lower in PWHA (both velocities) and hip joint (preferred velocity only) (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the neural control of individual muscles and coordination between antagonistic muscles during gait in PWHA differs substantially from control subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Cruz-Montecinos
- Department of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Laboratory of Clinical Biomechanics, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Felipe Querol
- Department of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mauricio Cerda
- SCIAN-Lab, Anatomy and Developmental Biology Program, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago, Chile
| | - Huub Maas
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Tijs C, Bernabei M, van Dieën JH, Maas H. Myofascial Loads Can Occur without Fascicle Length Changes. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 58:251-260. [PMID: 29873725 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have shown that connective tissue linkages can transmit force between synergistic muscles and that such force transmission depends on the position of these muscles relative to each other and on properties of their intermuscular connective tissues. Moving neighboring muscles has been reported to cause longitudinal deformations within passive muscles held at a constant muscle-tendon unit (MTU) length (e.g., soleus [SO]), but muscle forces were not directly measured. Deformations do not provide a direct measure of the force transmitted between muscles. We combined two different muscle preparations to assess whether myofascial loads exerted by neighboring muscles result in length changes of SO fascicles. We investigated the effects of proximal MTU length changes of two-joint gastrocnemius (GA) and plantaris (PL) muscles on the fascicle length of the one-joint SO muscle within (1) an intact muscle compartment and (2) a disrupted compartment that allowed measurements of fascicle length and distal tendon force of SO simultaneously. SO muscle bellies of Wistar rats (n = 5) were implanted with sonomicrometry crystals. In three animals, connectivity between SO and GA+PL was enhanced. Measurements were performed before and during maximal excitation of all plantar flexor muscles. In both setups, MTU length of GA+PL did not affect the length of SO fascicles, neither during passive nor active conditions. However, lengthening the MTU of GA+PL increased distal tendon force of SO by 43.3-97.8% (P < 0.001) and 27.5-182.6% (P < 0.001), respectively. This indicates that substantial myofascial force transmission between SO and synergistic muscle can occur via a connective tissue network running parallel to the series of SO sarcomeres without substantial length changes of SO fascicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Tijs
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Concord Field Station-Harvard University, Bedford, MA 01730, USA
| | - Michel Bernabei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Jaap H van Dieën
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Huub Maas
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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