We report a rare case of a 10-year-old girl with anomalous course of extensor pollicis longus (EPL) muscle, which exists with absence of thenar muscles and muscles in the 1st extensor compartment. Her chief complaint was severe atrophy on the right thenar eminence. On physical examination, there was no obvious functional abnormality on her right thumb. On magnetic resonance imaging, we found th...

Studies are reviewed, predominantly involving healthy humans, on gain changes in spinal reflexes and supraspinal ascending paths during passive and active leg movement. The passive movement research shows that the pathways of H reflexes of the leg and foot are down-regulated as a consequence of movement-elicited discharge from somatosensory receptors, likely muscle spindle primary endings, both...

Mechanical and neurological couplings exist between musculotendon units of the human hand and digits. Studies have begun to understand how these muscles interact when accomplishing everyday tasks, but there are still unanswered questions regarding the control limitations of individual muscles. Using intramuscular electromyographic (EMG) electrodes, this study examined subjects' ability to indiv...

BACKGROUND Frequently using non-slanted computer mice will cause musculoskeletal discomfort and symptoms in forearms and shoulders. Ergonomic mice with different slanted angles may have various effects on forearm and shoulder muscle activity. METHODS All of the twelve subjects performed the same text-editing task with the five different slanted mice. The muscle activity of extensor carpi ulna...

OBJECTIVE To compare the EMG activity between the recti abdominii muscles and between the lumbar erector spinae muscles in hemiparetic and hemiplegic patients during functional symmetric trunk movements and to compare patients' EMG activity profiles with those of healthy controls. METHODS EMG activity from the selected muscles was recorded during three symmetric and time controlled trunk exer...

Biologists have traditionally focused on a muscle's ability to generate power. By determining muscle length, strain and activation pattern in the cockroach Blaberus discoidalis, we discovered leg extensor muscles that operate as active dampers that only absorb energy during running. Data from running animals were compared with measurements of force and power production of isolated muscles studi...