Flexor hallucis brevis motor unit behavior in response to moderate increases in rate of force development.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Studies on motor unit behaviour with varying rates of force development have focussed predominantly on comparisons between slow and ballistic (i.e., very fast) contractions. It remains unclear how motor units respond to less extreme changes in rates of force development. Here, we studied a small intrinsic foot muscle, flexor hallucis brevis (FHB) where the aim was to compare motor unit discharge rates and recruitment thresholds at two rates of force development. We specifically chose to investigate relatively slow to moderate rates of force development, not ballistic, as the chosen rates are more akin to those that presumably occur during daily activity.

Methods

We decomposed electromyographic signals to identify motor unit action potentials obtained from i

SUBMITTER: Aeles J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9838207 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature