Neurophysiological observations were made on normal subjects and on 57 patients who had had injuries to the spinal cord. The amplitude of the muscle compound action potential (M response) recorded from triceps surae in response to supramaximal stimulation of the tibial nerve was reduced in the patients indicating that there are changes in motor units below the level of a spinal lesion in man. I...

AIM To reduce ankle clonus in patients with spastic paresis either phenol nerve block of the tibialis posterior nerve or botulinum toxin type A (BTA) injection in triceps surae muscles can be used. This study aims to compare the efficacy over time of phenol nerve block and BTA injection in the inhibition of ankle clonus. METHODS Twenty-two patients with spastic paresis presenting with ankle c...

We used computer simulations to study the dendritic spatial distribution of low voltageactivated L-type calcium (Cav1.3 type) channels, which mediate hysteretic persistent inward current (PIC) in spinal motoneurons. This study was prompted by the growing experimental evidence of the functional interactions between synaptic inputs and active conductances over the motoneuron dendritic tree. A com...

This study examined the concurrent age-related differences in muscle and tendon structure and properties. Achilles tendon morphology and mechanical properties and triceps surae muscle architecture were measured from 100 subjects [33 young (24 ± 2 yr) and 67 old (75 ± 3 yr)]. Motion analysis-assisted ultrasonography was used to determine tendon stiffness, Young's modulus, and hysteresis during i...

CONTEXT Sport massage is often used to help prepare for exercise, expedite recovery from muscle soreness, and enhance athletic performance. However, the effect of sport massage on recovery from delayed-onset muscle soreness is unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of a short sport massage treatment on intramuscular swelling and pain in response to eccentric exercise. DESIGN We used a 2...

OBJECTIVE To quantitatively evaluate the effect of motor nerve branch block and neurotomy of the soleus nerve on triceps surae spasticity, reviewing 2 cases. METHODS Beside clinical assessment, we carried out a quantitative measurement of the stiffness of the ankle flexor muscles. The path length of the phase diagram between elastic and viscous stiffness quantifies the reflex response to move...