Afferent input caused by electrical stimulation of a peripheral nerve increases corticospinal excitability during voluntary contractions, indicating that proprioceptive sensory input arriving at the cortex plays a fundamental role in modulating corticospinal excitability. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the effect of electrical stimulation on the corticospinal excitability ...

It has been observed consistently and is well accepted that the steady-state isometric force after active muscle stretch is greater than the corresponding isometric force for electrically stimulated muscles and maximal voluntary contractions. However, this so-called force enhancement has not been studied for submaximal voluntary efforts; therefore, it is not known whether this property affects ...

Muscle series elasticity and its contribution to eccentric moment generation was examined in humans. While subjects [male, n = 30; age 26.3 +/- 4.8 (SD) yr; body mass 78.8 +/- 13.1 kg] performed an isometric contraction of the knee extensors at 60 degrees of knee flexion, a quick stretch was imposed with a 12 degrees -step displacement at 100 degrees /s. The test was performed at 10 isometric a...

This study was designed to investigate the modulations of H-reflex and V-wave responses during passive and maximal active dynamic actions. Experiments were performed on 16 healthy males [age: 24 +/- 4 (SD) yr]. Maximal H-reflexes (Hmax) and M-waves (MmaxR) were evoked at the same muscle length during passive isometric, shortening and lengthening actions and during maximal voluntary isometric, c...

The purpose of this training study was to determine the magnitude of strength gains following a high-intensity resistance training (i.e., improvement of neuromuscular coordination) that can be achieved by imagery of the respective muscle contraction imagined maximal isometric contraction (IMC training). Prior to the experimental intervention, subjects completed a 4-week standardized strength tr...

The roles of muscle afferent activity and central drive in controlling the compromised cardiovascular system of patients with mild chronic heart failure (CHF) during isometric exercise were examined. Blood pressure and heart rate responses were recorded in eight stable CHF patients (ejection fraction 20-40%; age 62+/-11 years) and in nine healthy age-matched controls during voluntary and electr...

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of vibratory stimulation on maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) from delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). [Subjects] Sixty healthy adults participated in this study. The exclusion criteria were orthopedic or neurologic disease. [Methods] The researchers induced DOMS in the musculus extensor carpi radialis longus of each p...

objectives: it is well known that neuromuscular function is temperature sensitive. changing of muscle temperature can effect voluntary muscle contraction. the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cooling and heating on maximal isometric force generated by the elbow flexor musculature in male subjects. methods: forty five healthy males encompassing 3 groups participated in the cur...