Extensive muscle damage can be induced in isolated muscle preparations by performing a small number of stretches during muscle activation. While typically these fiber strains are large and occur over long lengths, the extent of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) observed in humans is normally less even when multiple high-force lengthening actions are performed. This apparent discrepancy may ...

The diffusive properties of adjacent muscles at rest were evaluated in male (n = 12) and female (n = 12) subjects using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The principle, second and third eigenvalues, trace of the diffusion tensor [Tr(D)], and two anisotropic parameters, ellipsoid eccentricity (e) and fractional anisotropy (FA), of various muscles in the human calf were calculated from the diffusio...

    Motor units (MUs) reflect the function of the central nervous motor system. Thus, the estimated MU number is a good option to investigate the functional movement disorder in the Parkinson’s disease (PD). The purpose of this study was to compare the estimated MUs number in the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle of the normal rats and those with the Parkinsonism. The MG muscle of two age-matche...

The gastrocnemius and soleus both contribute to the ankle plantarflexor moment during the mid- and terminal stance phases of gait. The gastrocnemius also generates a knee flexion moment that may lead to dynamic function that is unique from the soleus. This study used a muscle stimulation protocol to experimentally compare the contributions of individual plantarflexors to vertical support, forwa...

This study focuses on neuromuscular mechanisms behind ankle torque and EMG variability during a maintained isometric plantar flexion contraction. Experimentally obtained torque standard deviation (SD) and soleus, medial gastrocnemius, and lateral gastrocnemius EMG envelope mean and SD increased with mean torque for a wide range of torque levels. Computer simulations were performed on a biophysi...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of gastrocnemius muscle fatigue on postural control ability in elderly people. METHODS Twenty-four healthy elderly people participated in this study. The postural control ability of single leg standing was evaluated with Health Improvement & Management System (HIMS) posturography before and after fatiguing exercises. After evaluating initial postural contro...

While there are many reasons the medial gastrocnemius flap is often favored treatment for soft tissue defects around knee area, this has some disadvantages. Reduced volume at distal part of and a short reach complicate provision sufficient coverage superior to patella lateral knee. In order overcome these shortcomings, we modified typical surgical technique by combining muscle sural artery perf...