1
|
Crouzier M, Avrillon S, Hug F, Cattagni T. Horizontal foot orientation affects the distribution of neural drive between gastrocnemii during plantarflexion, without changing neural excitability. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2024; 136:786-798. [PMID: 38205551 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00536.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The distribution of activation among muscles from the same anatomical group can be affected by the mechanical constraints of the task, such as limb orientation. For example, the distribution of activation between the gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and lateralis (GL) muscles during submaximal plantarflexion depends on the orientation of the foot in the horizontal plane. The neural mechanisms behind these modulations are not known. The overall aim of this study was to determine whether the excitability of the two gastrocnemius muscles is differentially affected by changes in foot orientation. Nineteen males performed isometric plantarflexions with their foot internally (toes-in) or externally (toes-out) rotated. GM and GL motor unit discharge characteristics were estimated from high-density surface electromyography to estimate neural drive. GM and GL corticospinal excitability and intracortical activity were assessed using transcranial magnetic stimulation through motor-evoked potentials. The efficacy of synaptic transmission between Ia-afferent fibers and α-motoneurons of the GM and GL was evaluated through the Hoffmann reflex. We observed a differential change in neural drive between GM (toes-out > toes-in) and GL (toes-out < toes-in). However, there was no foot orientation-related modulation in corticospinal excitability of the GM or GL, either at the cortical level or through modulation of the efficacy of Ia-α-motoneuron transmission. These results demonstrate that change in the motor pathway excitability is not the mechanism controlling the different distribution of neural drive between GM and GL with foot orientation.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Horizontal foot orientation affects the distribution of neural drive between the gastrocnemii during plantarflexion. There is no foot orientation-related modulation in the corticospinal excitability of the gastrocnemii, either at the cortical level or through modulation of the efficacy of Ia-α-motoneuron transmission. Change in motor pathway excitability is not the mechanism controlling the different distribution of neural drive between gastrocnemius medialis and lateralis with foot orientation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marion Crouzier
- Nantes University, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, UR-4334, Nantes, France
| | - Simon Avrillon
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - François Hug
- Université Côte d'Azur, LAMHESS, Nice, France
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Thomas Cattagni
- Nantes University, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, UR-4334, Nantes, France
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Goreau V, Hug F, Jannou A, Dernoncourt F, Crouzier M, Cattagni T. Estimates of persistent inward currents in lower limb muscles are not different between inactive, resistance-trained, and endurance-trained young males. J Neurophysiol 2024; 131:166-175. [PMID: 38116611 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00278.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent inward currents (PICs) increase the intrinsic excitability of α-motoneurons. The main objective of this study was to compare estimates of α-motoneuronal PICs between inactive, chronic resistance-trained, and chronic endurance-trained young individuals. We also aimed to investigate whether there is a relationship in the estimates of α-motoneuronal PIC magnitude between muscles. Estimates of PIC magnitude were obtained in three groups of young individuals: resistance-trained (n = 12), endurance-trained (n = 12), and inactive (n = 13). We recorded high-density surface electromyography (HDsEMG) signals from tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), soleus (SOL), vastus medialis (VM), and vastus lateralis (VL). Then, signals were decomposed with convolutive blind source separation to identify motor unit (MU) spike trains. Participants performed triangular isometric contractions to a peak of 20% of their maximum voluntary contraction. A paired-motor-unit analysis was used to calculate ΔF, which is assumed to be proportional to PIC magnitude. Despite the substantial differences in physical training experience between groups, we found no differences in ΔF, regardless of the muscle. Significant correlations of estimates of PIC magnitude were found between muscles of the same group (VL-VM, SOL-GM). Only two correlations (out of 8) between muscles of different groups were found (TA-GM and VL-GM). Overall, our findings suggest that estimates of PIC magnitude from lower-threshold MUs at low contraction intensities in the lower limb muscles are not influenced by physical training experience in healthy young individuals. They also suggest muscle-specific and muscle group-specific regulations of the estimates of PIC magnitude.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Chronic resistance and endurance training can lead to specific adaptations in motor unit activity. The contribution of α-motoneuronal persistent inward currents (PICs) to these adaptations is currently unknown in healthy young individuals. Therefore, we studied whether estimates of α-motoneuronal PIC magnitude are higher in chronically trained endurance- and resistance-trained individuals. We also studied whether there is a relationship between the estimates of α-motoneuronal PIC magnitude of different lower limb muscles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Goreau
- Movement - Interactions - Performance (MIP, UR 4334), Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | | | - Anthony Jannou
- Movement - Interactions - Performance (MIP, UR 4334), Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | - François Dernoncourt
- Movement - Interactions - Performance (MIP, UR 4334), Nantes Université, Nantes, France
- LAMHESS, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Marion Crouzier
- Movement - Interactions - Performance (MIP, UR 4334), Nantes Université, Nantes, France
- Department of Movement Science, Human Movement Biomechanics Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thomas Cattagni
- Movement - Interactions - Performance (MIP, UR 4334), Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sarcher A, Carcreff L, Moissenet F, Hug F, Deschamps T. Consistency of muscle activation signatures across different walking speeds. Gait Posture 2024; 107:155-161. [PMID: 37781901 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2023.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Using a machine learning algorithm, individuals can be accurately identified from their muscle activation patterns during gait, leading to the concept of individual muscle activation signatures. RESEARCH QUESTION Are muscle activation signatures robust across different walking speeds? METHODS We used an open dataset containing electromyographic (EMG) signals from 8 lower limb muscles in 50 asymptomatic adults walking at 5 speeds (extremely slow, very slow, slow, spontaneous, and fast). A machine learning approach classified the EMG profiles based on similar (intra-speed classification) or different (inter-speed classification) walking speeds as training and testing conditions. RESULTS Intra-speed median classification rates of muscle activation profiles increased with walking speed, from 92 % for extremely slow, to 100 % for self-selected fast walking conditions. Inter-speed median classification rates increased when the speed of the training condition was closer to that of the testing condition. Higher median classification rates were found across slow, spontaneous, and fast walking speed conditions, from 56 % to 96 %, compared with classification rates involving extremely and very slow walking speed conditions, from 6 % to 62 %. SIGNIFICANCE Our findings reveal that i) muscle activation signatures are detectable for a large range of walking speeds, even those involving different gait strategies (intra-speed median classification rates from 92 % to 100 %), and ii) muscle activation signatures observed during very low walking speeds are not consistent with those observed at higher speeds, suggesting a difference in motor control strategy. Caution should therefore be exercised when assessing gait deviations of a slow walking patient against a normative database obtained at higher speed. Identifying the robustness of individual muscle activation signatures across different movements could help in detecting changes in motor control, otherwise difficult to detect on classical time-varying EMG patterns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Sarcher
- Nantes Université, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, UR4334, F-44000 Nantes, France.
| | - Lena Carcreff
- Nantes Université, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, UR4334, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Florent Moissenet
- Kinesiology Laboratory, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - François Hug
- Nantes Université, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, UR4334, F-44000 Nantes, France; Université Côte d'Azur, LAMHESS, Nice, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Thibault Deschamps
- Nantes Université, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, UR4334, F-44000 Nantes, France
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Levine J, Avrillon S, Farina D, Hug F, Pons JL. Two motor neuron synergies, invariant across ankle joint angles, activate the triceps surae during plantarflexion. J Physiol 2023; 601:4337-4354. [PMID: 37615253 PMCID: PMC10952824 DOI: 10.1113/jp284503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that the nervous system generates movements by controlling groups of motor neurons (synergies) that do not always align with muscle anatomy. In this study, we determined whether these synergies are robust across tasks with different mechanical constraints. We identified motor neuron synergies using principal component analysis (PCA) and cross-correlations between smoothed discharge rates of motor neurons. In part 1, we used simulations to validate these methods. The results suggested that PCA can accurately identify the number of common inputs and their distribution across active motor neurons. Moreover, the results confirmed that cross-correlation can separate pairs of motor neurons that receive common inputs from those that do not receive common inputs. In part 2, 16 individuals performed plantarflexion at three ankle angles while we recorded EMG signals from the gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) and medialis (GM) and the soleus (SOL) with grids of surface electrodes. The PCA revealed two motor neuron synergies. These motor neuron synergies were relatively stable, with no significant differences in the distribution of motor neuron weights across ankle angles (P = 0.62). When the cross-correlation was calculated for pairs of motor units tracked across ankle angles, we observed that only 13.0% of pairs of motor units from GL and GM exhibited significant correlations of their smoothed discharge rates across angles, confirming the low level of common inputs between these muscles. Overall, these results highlight the modularity of movement control at the motor neuron level, suggesting a sensible reduction of computational resources for movement control. KEY POINTS: The CNS might generate movements by activating groups of motor neurons (synergies) with common inputs. We show here that two main sources of common inputs drive the motor neurons innervating the triceps surae muscles during isometric ankle plantarflexions. We report that the distribution of these common inputs is globally invariant despite changing the mechanical constraints of the tasks, i.e. the ankle angle. These results suggest the functional relevance of the modular organization of the CNS to control movements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jackson Levine
- Legs + Walking LabShirley Ryan AbilityLabChicagoILUSA
- Department of Physical Medicine and RehabilitationFeinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoILUSA
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringMcCormick School of EngineeringNorthwestern UniversityChicagoILUSA
| | - Simon Avrillon
- Legs + Walking LabShirley Ryan AbilityLabChicagoILUSA
- Department of Physical Medicine and RehabilitationFeinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoILUSA
- Department of BioengineeringFaculty of Engineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Dario Farina
- Department of BioengineeringFaculty of Engineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - François Hug
- Université Côte d'Azur, LAMHESSNiceFrance
- School of Biomedical SciencesThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - José L. Pons
- Legs + Walking LabShirley Ryan AbilityLabChicagoILUSA
- Department of Physical Medicine and RehabilitationFeinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoILUSA
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringMcCormick School of EngineeringNorthwestern UniversityChicagoILUSA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Tier L, Salomoni SE, Hug F, Besomi M, Hodges PW. Adaptability of the load sharing between the longissimus and components of the multifidus muscle during isometric trunk extension in healthy individuals. Eur J Appl Physiol 2023; 123:1879-1893. [PMID: 37079082 PMCID: PMC10460738 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-023-05193-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Redundancy of the musculoskeletal system implies multiple strategies are theoretically available to coordinate back extensor muscles. This study investigated whether coordination between back muscles during a tightly constrained isometric trunk extension task varies within and between individuals, and whether this changes following brief exposure to activation feedback of a muscle. METHODS Nine healthy participants performed three blocks of two repetitions of ramped isometric trunk extension in side-lying against resistance from 0-30% of maximum voluntary contraction over 30 s (force feedback). Between blocks, participants repeated contractions with visual feedback of electromyography (EMG) from either superficial (SM) or deep multifidus (DM), in two conditions; 'After SM' and 'After DM'. Intramuscular EMG was recorded from SM, DM, and longissimus (LG) simultaneously with shear wave elastography (SWE) from SM or DM. RESULTS In the 'Natural' condition (force feedback only), group data showed incremental increases in EMG with force, with minor changes in distribution of activation between muscles as force increased. SM was the most active muscle during the 'Natural' condition, but with DM most active in some participants. Individual data showed that coordination between muscles differed substantially between repetitions and individuals. Brief exposure to EMG feedback altered coordination. SWE showed individual variation, but findings differed from EMG. CONCLUSION This study revealed substantial variation in coordination between back extensor muscles within and between participants, and after exposure to feedback, in a tightly constrained task. Shear modulus revealed similar variation, but with an inconsistent relationship to EMG. These data highlight highly flexible control of back muscles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Louise Tier
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Sauro E Salomoni
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - François Hug
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia
- LAMHESS, Université Côte d'azur, Nice, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Manuela Besomi
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Paul W Hodges
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hug F, Avrillon S, Sarcher A, Del Vecchio A, Farina D. Correlation networks of spinal motor neurons that innervate lower limb muscles during a multi-joint isometric task. J Physiol 2023; 601:3201-3219. [PMID: 35772071 DOI: 10.1113/jp283040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Movements are reportedly controlled through the combination of synergies that generate specific motor outputs by imposing an activation pattern on a group of muscles. To date, the smallest unit of analysis of these synergies has been the muscle through the measurement of its activation. However, the muscle is not the lowest neural level of movement control. In this human study (n = 10), we used a purely data-driven method grounded on graph theory to extract networks of motor neurons based on their correlated activity during an isometric multi-joint task. Specifically, high-density surface electromyography recordings from six lower limb muscles were decomposed into motor neurons spiking activity. We analysed these activities by identifying their common low-frequency components, from which networks of correlated activity to the motor neurons were derived and interpreted as networks of common synaptic inputs. The vast majority of the identified motor neurons shared common inputs with other motor neuron(s). In addition, groups of motor neurons were partly decoupled from their innervated muscle, such that motor neurons innervating the same muscle did not necessarily receive common inputs. Conversely, some motor neurons from different muscles-including distant muscles-received common inputs. The study supports the theory that movements are produced through the control of small numbers of groups of motor neurons via common inputs and that there is a partial mismatch between these groups of motor neurons and muscle anatomy. We provide a new neural framework for a deeper understanding of the structure of common inputs to motor neurons. KEY POINTS: A central and unresolved question is how spinal motor neurons are controlled to generate movement. We decoded the spiking activities of dozens of spinal motor neurons innervating six muscles during a multi-joint task, and we used a purely data-driven method grounded on graph theory to extract networks of motor neurons based on their correlated activity (considered as common input). The vast majority of the identified motor neurons shared common inputs with other motor neuron(s). Groups of motor neurons were partly decoupled from their innervated muscle, such that motor neurons innervating the same muscle did not necessarily receive common inputs. Conversely, some motor neurons from different muscles, including distant muscles, received common inputs. The study supports the theory that movement is produced through the control of groups of motor neurons via common inputs and that there is a partial mismatch between these groups of motor neurons and muscle anatomy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- François Hug
- LAMHESS, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
- Laboratory 'Movement, Interactions, Performance' (EA 4334), Nantes University, Nantes, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Simon Avrillon
- Legs + Walking AbilityLab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Neuromechanics & Rehabilitation Technology Group, Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Aurélie Sarcher
- Laboratory 'Movement, Interactions, Performance' (EA 4334), Nantes University, Nantes, France
| | - Alessandro Del Vecchio
- Neuromuscular Physiology and Neural Interfacing Group, Department of Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Erlangen-Nuremberg, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Dario Farina
- Neuromechanics & Rehabilitation Technology Group, Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Hamard R, Aeles J, Avrillon S, Dick TJM, Hug F. A comparison of neural control of the biarticular gastrocnemius muscles between knee flexion and ankle plantar flexion. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2023. [PMID: 37348010 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00075.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
We aimed to determine whether the neural control of the biarticular gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and lateralis (GL) muscles is joint-specific, i.e, whether their control differs between isolated knee flexion and ankle plantar flexion tasks. Twenty-one male participants performed isometric knee flexion and ankle plantar flexion tasks while we recorded high-density surface electromyography (HDsEMG). First, we estimated the distribution of activation both within- and between-muscles using two complementary approaches: surface EMG amplitude and motor unit activity identified from HDsEMG decomposition. Second, we estimated the level of common synaptic input between GM and GL motor units using a coherence analysis. The distribution of EMG amplitude between GM and GL was not different between tasks, which was confirmed by the analysis of motor units discharge rate. Even though there was a significant proximal shift in GM and GL EMG amplitude during knee flexion compared to ankle plantar flexion, the magnitude of this shift was small and not confirmed via the inspection of the spatial distribution of motor unit action potentials. A significant coherence between GM and GL motor units was only observed for four (knee flexion) and three (ankle plantar flexion) participants, with no difference in the level of coherence between the two tasks. We were able to track only a few motor units across tasks, which raises the question as to whether the same motor units were activated across tasks. Our results suggest that the neural control of the GM and GL muscles is similar across their two main functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeroen Aeles
- Nantes Université, Nantes, France
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Simon Avrillon
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Taylor J M Dick
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - François Hug
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- LAMHESS, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Crouzier M, Hug F, Sheehan FT, Collins NJ, Crossley K, Tucker K. Neuromechanical Properties of the Vastus Medialis and Vastus Lateralis in Adolescents With Patellofemoral Pain. Orthop J Sports Med 2023; 11:23259671231155894. [PMID: 37435588 PMCID: PMC10331778 DOI: 10.1177/23259671231155894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background An alteration in the force distribution among quadriceps heads is one possible underlying mechanism of patellofemoral pain. However, this hypothesis cannot be directly tested as there are currently no noninvasive experimental techniques to measure individual muscle force or torque in vivo in humans. In this study, the authors considered a combination of biomechanical and muscle activation measures, which enabled us to estimate the mechanical impact of the vastus medialis (VM) and vastus lateralis (VL) on the patella. Purpose/Hypothesis The purpose of this study was to determine whether the relative index of torque distribution for the VM and VL differs between adolescents with and without patellofemoral pain. It was hypothesized that, relative to the VL, the VM would contribute less to knee extension torque in adolescents with patellofemoral pain compared with controls. Study Design Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods Twenty adolescents with patellofemoral pain and 20 matched control participants were included (38 female; age, 15.3 ± 1.8 years; weight, 58 ± 13 kg; height, 164 ± 8 cm). Muscle volumes and resting moment arms were quantified from magnetic resonance images, and fascicle lengths were obtained from panoramic B-mode ultrasonography. Muscle activation was estimated using surface electromyography during submaximal isometric tasks (wall-squat and seated tasks). Muscle torque was estimated as the product of muscle physiological cross-sectional area (ie, muscle volume/fascicle length), muscle activation (normalized to maximal activation), and moment arm. Results Across tasks and force levels, the relative contribution of the VM to the overall medial and lateral vastii torque was 31.0% ± 8.6% for controls and 31.5 ± 7.6% for adolescents with patellofemoral pain (group effect, P > .34). Conclusion For the tasks and positions investigated in this study, the authors found no evidence of lower VM torque generation (relative to the VL) in adolescents with patellofemoral pain compared with controls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marion Crouzier
- Laboratory “Movement, Interactions, Performance” (UR 4334), University of Nantes, Nantes, France
| | | | - Frances T. Sheehan
- Rehabilitation Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Natalie J. Collins
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kay Crossley
- La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre, La Trobe University Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kylie Tucker
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
Skeletal muscle is the engine that powers what is arguably the most essential and defining feature of human and animal life-locomotion. Muscles function to change length and produce force to enable movement, posture, and balance. Despite this seemingly simple role, skeletal muscle displays a variety of phenomena that still remain poorly understood. These phenomena are complex-the result of interactions between active and passive machinery, as well as mechanical, chemical and electrical processes. The emergence of imaging technologies over the past several decades has led to considerable discoveries regarding how skeletal muscles function in vivo where activation levels are submaximal, and the length and velocity of contracting muscle fibres are transient. However, our knowledge of the mechanisms of muscle behaviour during everyday human movements remains far from complete. In this review, we discuss the principal advancements in imaging technology that have led to discoveries to improve our understanding of in vivo muscle function over the past 50 years. We highlight the knowledge that has emerged from the development and application of various techniques, including ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, and elastography to characterise muscle design and mechanical properties. We emphasize that our inability to measure the forces produced by skeletal muscles still poses a significant challenge, and that future developments to accurately and reliably measure individual muscle forces will promote newfrontiers in biomechanics, physiology, motor control, and robotics. Finally, we identify critical gaps in our knowledge and future challenges that we hope can be solved as a biomechanics community in the next 50 years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taylor J M Dick
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| | - François Hug
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Université Côte d'Azur, LAMHESS, Nice, France
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kelp NY, Clemente CJ, Tucker K, Hug F, Pinel S, Dick TJM. Influence of internal muscle properties on muscle shape change and gearing in the human gastrocnemii. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2023. [PMID: 37167262 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00080.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscles bulge when they contract. These three-dimensional shape changes coupled with fibre rotation, influence a muscle's mechanical performance by uncoupling fibre velocity from muscle belly velocity (i.e., gearing). Muscle shape change and gearing is likely mediated by the interaction between internal muscle properties and contractile forces. Muscles with greater stiffness and intermuscular fat, due to aging or disuse, may limit a muscle's ability to bulge in width, subsequently causing higher gearing. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of internal muscle properties on shape change, fibre rotation, and gearing in the medial (MG) and lateral gastrocnemii (LG) during isometric plantarflexion contractions. Multi-modal imaging techniques were used to measure muscle shear modulus, intramuscular fat, and fat-corrected physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA), at rest, as well as synchronous muscle architecture changes during submaximal and maximal contractions in the MG and LG of 20 young (24±3y) and 13 older (70±4y) participants. Fat-corrected PCSA was positively associated with fibre rotation, gearing, and changes in thickness during submaximal contractions, but negatively associated with changes in thickness at maximal contractions. Muscle stiffness and intramuscular fat were related to muscle bulging and reduced fibre rotation, respectively, but only at high forces. Further, the MG and LG had varied internal muscle properties, which may relate to the differing shape changes, fibre rotations and gearing behaviours observed at each contraction level. These results indicate that internal muscle properties may play an important role in mediating muscle shape change and gearing, especially during high force contractions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Y Kelp
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Christofer J Clemente
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- School of Engineering and Science, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kylie Tucker
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - François Hug
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- LAMHESS, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Sabrina Pinel
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Taylor J M Dick
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Del Vecchio A, Marconi Germer C, Kinfe TM, Nuccio S, Hug F, Eskofier B, Farina D, Enoka RM. The Forces Generated by Agonist Muscles during Isometric Contractions Arise from Motor Unit Synergies. J Neurosci 2023; 43:2860-2873. [PMID: 36922028 PMCID: PMC10124954 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1265-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of our study was to identify the low-dimensional latent components, defined hereafter as motor unit modes, underlying the discharge rates of the motor units in two knee extensors (vastus medialis and lateralis, eight men) and two hand muscles (first dorsal interossei and thenars, seven men and one woman) during submaximal isometric contractions. Factor analysis identified two independent motor unit modes that captured most of the covariance of the motor unit discharge rates. We found divergent distributions of the motor unit modes for the hand and vastii muscles. On average, 75% of the motor units for the thenar muscles and first dorsal interosseus were strongly correlated with the module for the muscle in which they resided. In contrast, we found a continuous distribution of motor unit modes spanning the two vastii muscle modules. The proportion of the muscle-specific motor unit modes was 60% for vastus medialis and 45% for vastus lateralis. The other motor units were either correlated with both muscle modules (shared inputs) or belonged to the module for the other muscle (15% for vastus lateralis). Moreover, coherence of the discharge rates between motor unit pools was explained by the presence of shared synaptic inputs. In simulations with 480 integrate-and-fire neurons, we demonstrate that factor analysis identifies the motor unit modes with high levels of accuracy. Our results indicate that correlated discharge rates of motor units that comprise motor unit modes arise from at least two independent sources of common input among the motor neurons innervating synergistic muscles.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT It has been suggested that the nervous system controls synergistic muscles by projecting common synaptic inputs to the engaged motor neurons. In our study, we reduced the dimensionality of the output produced by pools of synergistic motor neurons innervating the hand and thigh muscles during isometric contractions. We found two neural modules, each representing a different common input, that were each specific for one of the muscles. In the vastii muscles, we found a continuous distribution of motor unit modes spanning the two synergistic muscles. Some of the motor units from the homonymous vastii muscle were controlled by the dominant neural module of the other synergistic muscle. In contrast, we found two distinct neural modules for the hand muscles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Del Vecchio
- Department Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander University, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Carina Marconi Germer
- Department of Bioengineering, Federal University of Pernambuco, CEP 50670-901 Recife, Brazil
| | - Thomas M Kinfe
- Division of Functional Neurosurgery and Stereotaxy, Friedrich-Alexander University, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefano Nuccio
- Department Human Movement Science, University of Rome Foro Italico, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - François Hug
- Le Laboratoire Motricité Humaine Expertise Sport Santé, Université Côte d'Azur, 06103 Nice, France
| | - Bjoern Eskofier
- Department Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander University, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Dario Farina
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Roger M Enoka
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado CO 80309
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Sachet I, Brochner Nygaard NP, Guilhem G, Hug F, Dorel S. Strength capacity of lower-limb muscles in world-class cyclists: new insights into the limits of sprint cycling performance. Sports Biomech 2023; 22:536-553. [PMID: 35029136 DOI: 10.1080/14763141.2021.2024243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the relationship between the torque-generating capacity in sprint cycling and the strength capacity of the six lower-limb muscle groups in male and female world-class sprint cyclists. Eleven female and fifteen male top-elite cyclists performed 5-s sprints at maximal power in seated and standing positions. They also performed a set of maximal voluntary ankle, knee and hip flexions and extensions to assess single-joint isometric and isokinetic torques. Isokinetic torques presented stronger correlations with cycling torque than isometric torques for both body positions, regardless of the group. In the female group, knee extension and hip flexion torques accounted for 81.2% of the variance in cycling torque, while the ability to predict cycling torque was less evident in males (i.e., 59% of variance explained by the plantarflexion torque only). The standing condition showed higher correlations than seated and a better predictive model in males (R2 = 0.88). In addition to the knee extensors and flexors and hip extensors, main power producers, the strength capacity of lower-limb distal plantarflexor (and to a lesser extent dorsiflexor) muscles, as well as other non-measured qualities (e.g., the upper body), might be determinants to produce such extremely high cycling torque in males.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iris Sachet
- Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (Ea 4334), University of Nantes, Nantes, France.,French Cycling Federation, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France
| | - Niels Peter Brochner Nygaard
- Research Unit of Health Science, Hospital of South West Jutland, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Esbjerg, Denmark.,Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Gaël Guilhem
- Laboratory Sport, Expertise and Performance (Ea 7370), French Institute of Sport (Insep), Paris, France
| | - François Hug
- Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (Ea 4334), University of Nantes, Nantes, France.,LAMHESS, Université Côte d'azur, Nice, France.,Nhmrc Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,Institut Universitaire de France (Iuf), Paris, France
| | - Sylvain Dorel
- Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (Ea 4334), University of Nantes, Nantes, France
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Martinez-Valdes E, Enoka RM, Holobar A, McGill K, Farina D, Besomi M, Hug F, Falla D, Carson RG, Clancy EA, Disselhorst-Klug C, van Dieën JH, Tucker K, Gandevia S, Lowery M, Søgaard K, Besier T, Merletti R, Kiernan MC, Rothwell JC, Perreault E, Hodges PW. Consensus for experimental design in electromyography (CEDE) project: Single motor unit matrix. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2023; 68:102726. [PMID: 36571885 DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2022.102726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The analysis of single motor unit (SMU) activity provides the foundation from which information about the neural strategies underlying the control of muscle force can be identified, due to the one-to-one association between the action potentials generated by an alpha motor neuron and those received by the innervated muscle fibers. Such a powerful assessment has been conventionally performed with invasive electrodes (i.e., intramuscular electromyography (EMG)), however, recent advances in signal processing techniques have enabled the identification of single motor unit (SMU) activity in high-density surface electromyography (HDsEMG) recordings. This matrix, developed by the Consensus for Experimental Design in Electromyography (CEDE) project, provides recommendations for the recording and analysis of SMU activity with both invasive (needle and fine-wire EMG) and non-invasive (HDsEMG) SMU identification methods, summarizing their advantages and disadvantages when used during different testing conditions. Recommendations for the analysis and reporting of discharge rate and peripheral (i.e., muscle fiber conduction velocity) SMU properties are also provided. The results of the Delphi process to reach consensus are contained in an appendix. This matrix is intended to help researchers to collect, report, and interpret SMU data in the context of both research and clinical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Martinez-Valdes
- Centre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain (CPR Spine), School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Roger M Enoka
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Aleš Holobar
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 46, Maribor, Slovenia
| | | | - Dario Farina
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Manuela Besomi
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - François Hug
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; LAMHESS, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Deborah Falla
- Centre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain (CPR Spine), School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Richard G Carson
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK; School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Catherine Disselhorst-Klug
- Department of Rehabilitation and Prevention Engineering, Institute of Applied Medical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jaap H van Dieën
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kylie Tucker
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Simon Gandevia
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Madeleine Lowery
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Karen Søgaard
- Department of Clinical Research and Department of Sports Sciences and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Thor Besier
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute and Department of Engineering Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Roberto Merletti
- LISiN, Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - John C Rothwell
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Eric Perreault
- Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Paul W Hodges
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Wen Y, Kim SJ, Avrillon S, Levine JT, Hug F, Pons JL. Toward a generalizable deep CNN for neural drive estimation across muscles and participants. J Neural Eng 2023; 20. [PMID: 36548991 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/acae0b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Objective.High-density electromyography (HD-EMG) decomposition algorithms are used to identify individual motor unit (MU) spike trains, which collectively constitute the neural code of movements, to predict motor intent. This approach has advanced from offline to online decomposition, from isometric to dynamic contractions, leading to a wide range of neural-machine interface applications. However, current online methods need offline retraining when applied to the same muscle on a different day or to a different person, which limits their applications in a real-time neural-machine interface. We proposed a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) framework for neural drive estimation, which takes in frames of HD-EMG signals as input, extracts general spatiotemporal properties of MU action potentials, and outputs the number of spikes in each frame. The deep CNN can generalize its application without retraining to HD-EMG data recorded in separate sessions, muscles, or participants.Approach.We recorded HD-EMG signals from the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles from five participants while they performed isometric contractions during two sessions separated by ∼20 months. We identified MU spike trains from HD-EMG signals using a convolutive blind source separation (BSS) method, and then used the cumulative spike train (CST) of these MUs and the HD-EMG signals to train and validate the deep CNN.Main results.On average, the correlation coefficients between CST from the BSS and that from deep CNN were0.983±0.006for leave-one-out across-sessions-and-muscles validation and0.989±0.002for leave-one-out across-participants validation. When trained with more than four datasets, the performance of deep CNN saturated at0.984±0.001for cross validations across muscles, sessions, and participants.Significance.We can conclude that the deep CNN is generalizable across the aforementioned conditions without retraining. We could potentially generate a robust deep CNN to estimate neural drive to muscles for neural-machine interfaces.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wen
- Legs and Walking Lab of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Sangjoon J Kim
- Legs and Walking Lab of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Simon Avrillon
- Legs and Walking Lab of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Jackson T Levine
- Legs and Walking Lab of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - François Hug
- Université Côte d'Azur, LAMHESS, Nice, France.,School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - José L Pons
- Legs and Walking Lab of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, McCormick School of Engineering, and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Hug F, Avrillon S, Ibáñez J, Farina D. Common synaptic input, synergies and size principle: Control of spinal motor neurons for movement generation. J Physiol 2023; 601:11-20. [PMID: 36353890 PMCID: PMC10098498 DOI: 10.1113/jp283698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how movement is controlled by the CNS remains a major challenge, with ongoing debate about basic features underlying this control. In current established views, the concepts of motor neuron recruitment order, common synaptic input to motor neurons and muscle synergies are usually addressed separately and therefore seen as independent features of motor control. In this review, we analyse the body of literature in a broader perspective and we identify a unified approach to explain apparently divergent observations at different scales of motor control. Specifically, we propose a new conceptual framework of the neural control of movement, which merges the concept of common input to motor neurons and modular control, together with the constraints imposed by recruitment order. This framework is based on the following assumptions: (1) motor neurons are grouped into functional groups (clusters) based on the common inputs they receive; (2) clusters may significantly differ from the classical definition of motor neuron pools, such that they may span across muscles and/or involve only a portion of a muscle; (3) clusters represent functional modules used by the CNS to reduce the dimensionality of the control; and (4) selective volitional control of single motor neurons within a cluster receiving common inputs cannot be achieved. Here, we discuss this framework and its underlying theoretical and experimental evidence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- François Hug
- Université Côte d'Azur, LAMHESS, Nice, France.,School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Simon Avrillon
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jaime Ibáñez
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK.,BSICoS, IIS Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.,Department for Clinical and movement neurosciences, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Dario Farina
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Aeles J, Sarcher A, Hug F. Common synaptic input between motor units from the lateral and medial posterior soleus compartments does not differ from that within each compartment. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2023; 134:105-115. [PMID: 36454677 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00587.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The human soleus muscle is anatomically divided into four separate anatomical compartments. The functional role of this compartmentalization remains unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the common synaptic input to motor units between the medial and lateral posterior compartments is less than within each compartment. Fourteen male participants performed three different heel-raise tasks that were considered to place a different mechanical demand on the medial and lateral soleus compartments. High-density electromyography (EMG) signals from the medial and lateral soleus compartments and the medial gastrocnemius of the right leg were decomposed into individual motor unit spike trains. The coherence between cumulative spike trains of the motor units was estimated. The coherence analysis was also repeated for motor units that were matched across all three tasks. Furthermore, we calculated the ratio of significant correlations between the spike trains of pairs of motor units. We observed that the coherence between motor units of the two soleus compartments was similar as the coherence between motor units within each compartment, regardless of the task. The correlation analysis performed on pairs of motor units confirmed these results. We conclude that the level of common synaptic input between the motor units innervating the medial and lateral posterior soleus compartment is not different than the common synaptic input between motor units innervating each of these compartments, which contrasts with findings from previous studies on finger muscles. This suggests that there is no independent neural control for the individual posterior soleus compartments.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The human soleus muscle is anatomically subdivided into four compartments. The functional role for this compartmentalization remains unknown. Here, we showed that, contrary to previous findings in finger muscles, the common synaptic input between motor units innervating the medial and lateral posterior soleus compartment was similar as that between motor units within the individual compartments. We suggest that the contradictory findings with other compartmentalized muscles may be explained by differences in muscle-tendon anatomy and function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen Aeles
- Movement-Interactions-Performance, MIP, Nantes Université, Nantes, France.,Laboratory of Functional Morphology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Aurélie Sarcher
- Movement-Interactions-Performance, MIP, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | - François Hug
- LAMHESS, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France.,School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Maillet J, Avrillon S, Nordez A, Rossi J, Hug F. Handedness is associated with less common input to spinal motor neurons innervating different hand muscles. J Neurophysiol 2022; 128:778-789. [PMID: 36001792 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00237.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Whether the neural control of manual behaviours differs between the dominant and non-dominant hand is poorly understood. This study aimed to determine whether the level of common synaptic input to motor neurons innervating the same or different muscles differs between the dominant and the non-dominant hand. Seventeen participants performed two motor tasks with distinct mechanical requirements: an isometric pinch and an isometric rotation of a pinched dial. Each task was performed at 30% of maximum effort and was repeated with the dominant and non-dominant hand. Motor units were identified from two intrinsic (flexor digitorum interosseous and thenar) and one extrinsic muscle (flexor digitorum superficialis) from high-density surface electromyography recordings. Two complementary approaches were used to estimate common synaptic inputs. First, we calculated the coherence between groups of motor neurons from the same and from different muscles. Then, we estimated the common input for all pairs of motor neurons by correlating the low-frequency oscillations of their discharge rate. Both analyses led to the same conclusion, indicating less common synaptic input between motor neurons innervating different muscles in the dominant hand than in the non-dominant hand, which was only observed during the isometric rotation task. No between-side differences in common input were observed between motor neurons of the same muscle. This lower level of common input could confer higher flexibility in the recruitment of motor units, and therefore, in mechanical outputs. Whether this difference between the dominant and non-dominant arm is the cause or the consequence of handedness remains to be determined.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jean Maillet
- Nantes Université, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, UR 4334, Nantes, France
| | - Simon Avrillon
- Neuromechanics and Rehabilitation Technology Group, Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Antoine Nordez
- Nantes Université, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, UR 4334, Nantes, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Jeremy Rossi
- grid.6279.aJean Monnet University, Saint Etienne, France
| | - François Hug
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France.,LAMHESS, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France.,The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Maillet J, Rossi J, Hug F, Proquez JJ, Nordez A. Influence of experience on kinematics of upper limbs during sewing gesture. Appl Ergon 2022; 102:103737. [PMID: 35397280 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
To teach a skilled motor task, it is crucial to understand the characteristics of expertise. The aim of the present study was to compare the kinematics of the hand sewing task between novices (n = 10), intermediates (n = 10) and experts (n = 10). Compared to novices and intermediates, the proximal joint of expert participants was less involved in the task than their distal joints. The shoulder of experts stayed closer to the trunk, while the ranges of motion of the wrist and fingers were higher. This ability enabled them to avoid lifting the arm, which was resting on the table. We observed a low cycle-to-cycle variability of the movement pattern for experts, while it was more variable in novices. Moreover, experts shared similar joints synergies attesting of an "experts" common gesture. This knowledge gained about the hand sewing kinematics can be used to refine the training process of dressmakers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jean Maillet
- Nantes Université, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, EA 4334, F-44000, Nantes, France; Institut Français du Textile et de l'Habillement IFTH, France
| | - Jeremy Rossi
- Univ Lyon, UJM-Saint-Etienne, Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, EA 7424, F-42023, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - François Hug
- Nantes Université, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, EA 4334, F-44000, Nantes, France; Institut Universitaire de France IUF, Paris, France; Université Côte d'Azur, LAMHESS, Nice, France
| | | | - Antoine Nordez
- Nantes Université, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, EA 4334, F-44000, Nantes, France; Institut Universitaire de France IUF, Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Goreau V, Pigne R, Bernier N, Nordez A, Hug F, Lacourpaille L. Hamstring muscle activation strategies during eccentric contractions are related to the distribution of muscle damage. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2022; 32:1335-1345. [PMID: 35611628 PMCID: PMC9541962 DOI: 10.1111/sms.14191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Large inter‐individual variability of activation strategies is observed during hamstring strengthening exercises but their consequences remain unexplored. The objective of this study was to determine whether individual activation strategies are related to the distribution of damage across the hamstring muscle heads semimembranosus (SM), semitendinosus (ST), and biceps femoris (BF) after eccentric contractions. 24 participants performed 5 sets of 15 maximal eccentric contractions of knee flexors on a dynamometer, while activation of each muscle head was assessed using surface electromyography. Knee flexion maximal isometric strength was assessed before exercise and 48 h afterward. Shear modulus was measured using shear wave elastography before exercise and 30 min afterward to quantify the distribution of damage across the hamstring muscle heads. At 48 h, maximal knee flexion torque had decreased by 15.9% ± 16.9% (p < 0.001). Although no differences between activation ratios of each muscle were found during the eccentric exercise (all p > 0.364), we reported a heterogeneous distribution of damage, with a larger change in shear modulus of ST/Hams than SM/Hams (+70.8%, p < 0.001) or BF/Hams (+50.3%, p < 0.001). A large correlation was found between the distribution of activation and the distribution of damage for ST/Hams (r = 0.69; p < 001). This study provides evidence that the distribution of activation during maximal eccentric contractions has mechanical consequences for synergist muscles. Further studies are needed to understand whether individual activation strategies influence the distribution of structural adaptations after a training program.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Goreau
- Movement-Interactions-Performance, MIP, UR 4334, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | - Robin Pigne
- Movement-Interactions-Performance, MIP, UR 4334, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | - Nathan Bernier
- CIAMS, Université d'Orléans, Orléans, France.,CIAMS, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Antoine Nordez
- Movement-Interactions-Performance, MIP, UR 4334, Nantes Université, Nantes, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - François Hug
- Movement-Interactions-Performance, MIP, UR 4334, Nantes Université, Nantes, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France.,LAMHESS, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Lilian Lacourpaille
- Movement-Interactions-Performance, MIP, UR 4334, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Hamard R, Hug F, Kelp NY, Feigean R, Aeles J, J. M. Dick T. Inclusion of image-based in-vivo experimental data into the Hill-type muscle model affects the estimation of individual force-sharing strategies during walking. J Biomech 2022; 135:111033. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2022.111033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
21
|
Rossato J, Tucker KJ, Avrillon S, Lacourpaille L, Holobar A, Hug F. Less common synaptic input between muscles from the same group allows for more flexible coordination strategies during a fatiguing task. J Neurophysiol 2022; 127:421-433. [PMID: 35020505 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00453.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to determine whether neural drive is redistributed between muscles during a fatiguing isometric contraction, and if so, whether the initial level of common synaptic input between these muscles constrains this redistribution. We studied two muscle groups: triceps surae (14 participants) and quadriceps (15 participants). Participants performed a series of submaximal isometric contractions and a torque-matched contraction maintained until task failure. We used high-density surface electromyography to identify the behavior of 1874 motor units from the soleus, gastrocnemius medialis (GM), gastrocnemius lateralis(GL), rectus femoris, vastus lateralis (VL), and vastus medialis(VM). We assessed the level of common drive between muscles in absence of fatigue using a coherence analysis. We also assessed the redistribution of neural drive between muscles during the fatiguing contraction through the correlation between their cumulative spike trains (index of neural drive). The level of common drive between VL and VM was significantly higher than that observed for the other muscle pairs, including GL-GM. The level of common drive increased during the fatiguing contraction, but the differences between muscle pairs persisted. We also observed a strong positive correlation of neural drive between VL and VM during the fatiguing contraction (r=0.82). This was not observed for the other muscle pairs, including GL-GM, which exhibited differential changes in neural drive. These results suggest that less common synaptic input between muscles allows for more flexible coordination strategies during a fatiguing task, i.e., differential changes in neural drive across muscles. The role of this flexibility on performance remains to be elucidated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julien Rossato
- Nantes Université, Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (EA 4334), Nantes, France
| | - Kylie J Tucker
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Simon Avrillon
- Legs + Walking AbilityLab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Lilian Lacourpaille
- Nantes Université, Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (EA 4334), Nantes, France
| | - Ales Holobar
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, Slovenia
| | - François Hug
- Nantes Université, Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (EA 4334), Nantes, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France.,Université Côte d'Azur, LAMHESS, Nice, France
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Cheng R, Crouzier M, Hug F, Tucker K, Juneau P, McCreedy E, Gandler W, McAuliffe MJ, Sheehan FT. Automatic quadriceps and patellae segmentation of MRI with cascaded U 2 -Net and SASSNet deep learning model. Med Phys 2022; 49:443-460. [PMID: 34755359 PMCID: PMC8758556 DOI: 10.1002/mp.15335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Automatic muscle segmentation is critical for advancing our understanding of human physiology, biomechanics, and musculoskeletal pathologies, as it allows for timely exploration of large multi-dimensional image sets. Segmentation models are rarely developed/validated for the pediatric model. As such, autosegmentation is not available to explore how muscle architectural changes during development and how disease/pathology affects the developing musculoskeletal system. Thus, we aimed to develop and validate an end-to-end, fully automated, deep learning model for accurate segmentation of the rectus femoris and vastus lateral, medialis, and intermedialis using a pediatric database. METHODS We developed a two-stage cascaded deep learning model in a coarse-to-fine manner. In the first stage, the U2 -Net roughly detects the muscle subcompartment region. Then, in the second stage, the shape-aware 3D semantic segmentation method SASSNet refines the cropped target regions to generate the more finer and accurate segmentation masks. We utilized multifeature image maps in both stages to stabilize performance and validated their use with an ablation study. The second-stage SASSNet was independently run and evaluated with three different cropped region resolutions: the original image resolution, and images downsampled 2× and 4× (high, mid, and low). The relationship between image resolution and segmentation accuracy was explored. In addition, the patella was included as a comparator to past work. We evaluated segmentation accuracy using leave-one-out testing on a database of 3D MR images (0.43 × 0.43 × 2 mm) from 40 pediatric participants (age 15.3 ± 1.9 years, 55.8 ± 11.8 kg, 164.2 ± 7.9 cm, 38F/2 M). RESULTS The mid-resolution second stage produced the best results for the vastus medialis, rectus femoris, and patella (Dice similarity coefficient = 95.0%, 95.1%, 93.7%), whereas the low-resolution second stage produced the best results for the vastus lateralis and vastus intermedialis (DSC = 94.5% and 93.7%). In comparing the low- to mid-resolution cases, the vasti intermedialis, vastus medialis, rectus femoris, and patella produced significant differences (p = 0.0015, p = 0.0101, p < 0.0001, p = 0.0003) and the vasti lateralis did not (p = 0.2177). The high-resolution stage 2 had significantly lower accuracy (1.0 to 4.4 dice percentage points) compared to both the mid- and low-resolution routines (p value ranged from < 0.001 to 0.04). The one exception was the rectus femoris, where there was no difference between the low- and high-resolution cases. The ablation study demonstrated that the multifeature is more reliable than the single feature. CONCLUSIONS Our successful implementation of this two-stage segmentation pipeline provides a critical tool for expanding pediatric muscle physiology and clinical research. With a relatively small and variable dataset, our fully automatic segmentation technique produces accuracies that matched or exceeded the current state of the art. The two-stage segmentation avoids memory issues and excessive run times by using a first stage focused on cropping out unnecessary data. The excellent Dice similarity coefficients improve upon previous template-based automatic and semiautomatic methodologies targeting the leg musculature. More importantly, with a naturally variable dataset (size, shape, etc.), the proposed model demonstrates slightly improved accuracies, compared to previous neural networks methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruida Cheng
- Scientific Application Services (SAS), Office of Scientific Computing Services (OSCS), Office of Intramural Research, Center of Information Technology, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Marion Crouzier
- University of Nantes, Movement, Interactions, Performance, MIP, EA 4334, F-44000 Nantes, France,The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane
| | - François Hug
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France,Université Côte d’Azur, LAMHESS, Nice, France
| | - Kylie Tucker
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane
| | - Paul Juneau
- NIH Library, Office of Research Services, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Evan McCreedy
- Scientific Application Services (SAS), Office of Scientific Computing Services (OSCS), Office of Intramural Research, Center of Information Technology, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - William Gandler
- Scientific Application Services (SAS), Office of Scientific Computing Services (OSCS), Office of Intramural Research, Center of Information Technology, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Matthew J. McAuliffe
- Scientific Application Services (SAS), Office of Scientific Computing Services (OSCS), Office of Intramural Research, Center of Information Technology, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Frances T. Sheehan
- Rehabilitation Medicine Department, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Aeles J, Bolsterlee B, Kelp NY, Dick TJM, Hug F. Regional variation in lateral and medial gastrocnemius muscle fibre lengths obtained from diffusion tensor imaging. J Anat 2022; 240:131-144. [PMID: 34411299 PMCID: PMC8655206 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Assessment of regional muscle architecture is primarily done through the study of animals, human cadavers, or using b-mode ultrasound imaging. However, there remain several limitations to how well such measurements represent in vivo human whole muscle architecture. In this study, we developed an approach using diffusion tensor imaging and magnetic resonance imaging to quantify muscle fibre lengths in different muscle regions along a muscle's length and width. We first tested the between-day reliability of regional measurements of fibre lengths in the medial (MG) and lateral gastrocnemius (LG) and found good reliability for these measurements (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.79 and ICC = 0.84, respectively). We then applied this approach to a group of 32 participants including males (n = 18), females (n = 14), young (24 ± 4 years) and older (70 ± 2 years) adults. We assessed the differences in regional muscle fibre lengths between different muscle regions and between individuals. Additionally, we compared regional muscle fibre lengths between sexes, age groups, and muscles. We found substantial variability in fibre lengths between different regions within the same muscle and between the MG and the LG across individuals. At the group level, we found no difference in mean muscle fibre length between males and females, nor between young and older adults, or between the MG and the LG. The high variability in muscle fibre lengths between different regions within the same muscle, possibly expands the functional versatility of the muscle for different task requirements. The high variability between individuals supports the use of subject-specific measurements of muscle fibre lengths when evaluating muscle function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen Aeles
- Laboratory “Movement, Interactions, Performance” (EA 4334)Nantes UniversityNantesFrance
| | - Bart Bolsterlee
- Neuroscience Research AustraliaSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Graduate School of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Nicole Y. Kelp
- School of Biomedical SciencesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Taylor J. M. Dick
- School of Biomedical SciencesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - François Hug
- Laboratory “Movement, Interactions, Performance” (EA 4334)Nantes UniversityNantesFrance
- School of Biomedical SciencesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF)ParisFrance
- LAMHESSUniversité Côte d'AzurNiceFrance
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Pinel S, Kelp NY, Bugeja JM, Bolsterlee B, Hug F, Dick TJM. Quantity versus quality: Age-related differences in muscle volume, intramuscular fat, and mechanical properties in the triceps surae. Exp Gerontol 2021; 156:111594. [PMID: 34673171 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
With aging comes reductions in the quality and size of skeletal muscle. These changes influence the force-generating capacity of skeletal muscle and contribute to movement deficits that accompany aging. Although declines in strength remain a significant barrier to mobility in older adults, the association between age-related changes in muscle structure and function remain unresolved. In this study, we compared age-related differences in (i) muscle volume and architecture, (ii) the quantity and distribution of intramuscular fat, and (iii) muscle shear modulus (an index of stiffness) in the triceps surae in 21 younger (24.6 ± 4.3 years) and 15 older (70.4 ± 2.4 years) healthy adults. Additionally, we explored the relationship between muscle volume, architecture, intramuscular fat and ankle plantar flexion strength in young and older adults. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to determine muscle volume and intramuscular fat content. B-mode ultrasound was used to quantify muscle architecture, shear-wave elastography was used to measure shear modulus, and ankle strength was measured during maximal isometric plantar flexion contractions. We found that older adults displayed higher levels of intramuscular fat yet similar muscle volumes in the medial (MG) and lateral gastrocnemius (LG) and soleus, compared to younger adults. These age-related higher levels of intramuscular fat were associated with lower muscle shear modulus in the LG and MG. We also found that muscle physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) that accounted for age-associated differences in intramuscular fat showed a modest increase in its association with ankle strength compared to PCSA that did not account for fat content. This highlights that skeletal muscle fat infiltration plays a role in age-related strength deficits, but does not fully explain the age-related loss in muscle strength, suggesting that other factors play a more significant role.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Pinel
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; The University of Groningen, Faculty of Medicine, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole Y Kelp
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jessica M Bugeja
- The University of Queensland, School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Australian e-Health Research Centre, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Bart Bolsterlee
- Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Randwick, New South Wales, Australia; University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia; Queensland University of Technology, School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - François Hug
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; University of New South Wales, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France; Université Côte d'Azur, LAMHESS, Nice, France
| | - Taylor J M Dick
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Xu J, Fu SN, Hug F. Age-related increase in muscle stiffness is muscle length dependent and associated with muscle force in senior females. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2021; 22:829. [PMID: 34579696 PMCID: PMC8477537 DOI: 10.1186/s12891-021-04519-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In aging, muscle stiffness is considered as one of the factors associated with the reduction of force generation capability. There have been inconsistent findings on age-related alteration in the passive stiffness of quadriceps muscle in the female adults. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of aging on the shear moduli of the superficial muscle heads of the quadriceps and to explore its relationship with knee extension force. Methods Passive shear moduli of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), and vastus medialis (VM) were measured at rest using shear wave elastography in 20 young and 20 senior female adults. Measurements were repeated at four knee joint positions, that is, 30°, 60°, 90°, and 105° of knee flexion. Maximal isometric voluntary knee extension force was assessed at 30°, 60°, and 90° of knee flexion. Results As per our findings, senior adults were determined to have significantly higher passive muscle shear moduli in the RF (by 34% – 68%; all p < 0.05) and the VL muscle heads (by 13%–16%, all p < 0.05) at and beyond 60° of knee flexion. Age-related increase in the VM was evident at 105° knee flexion (by11%, p = 0.020). The RF shear modulus was negatively correlated to the maximal isometric voluntary contraction force measured at 60° (r = − 0.485, p = 0.030) in senior adults. Conclusions Senior female adults had greater passive stiffness at the superficial muscle heads of the quadriceps muscles when measured at long muscle length. Among the senior female adults, the passive stiffness of RF has been determined to have a negative association with the knee extensor force only at 60° knee flexion. No significant association was noted for other angles and muscles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jingfei Xu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China.,Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Yuk Choi Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Siu Ngor Fu
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Yuk Choi Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
| | - François Hug
- University of Nantes, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (EA 4334), Nantes, France.,InstitutUniversitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Germer CM, Farina D, Elias LA, Nuccio S, Hug F, Del Vecchio A. Surface EMG cross talk quantified at the motor unit population level for muscles of the hand, thigh, and calf. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2021; 131:808-820. [PMID: 34236246 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01041.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cross talk is an important source of error in interpreting surface electromyography (EMG) signals. Here, we aimed at characterizing cross talk for three groups of synergistic muscles by the identification of individual motor unit action potentials. Moreover, we explored whether spatial filtering (single and double differential) of the EMG signals influences the level of cross talk. Three experiments were conducted. Participants (total 25) performed isometric contractions at 10% of the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) with digit muscles and knee extensors and at 30% MVC with plantar flexors. High-density surface EMG signals were recorded and decomposed into motor unit spike trains. For each muscle, we quantified the cross talk induced to neighboring muscles and the level of contamination by the nearby muscle activity. We also estimated the influence of cross talk on the EMG power spectrum and intermuscular correlation. Most motor units (80%) generated significant cross-talk signals to neighboring muscle EMG in monopolar recording mode, but this proportion decreased with spatial filtering (50% and 42% for single and double differential, respectively). Cross talk induced overestimations of intermuscular correlation and has a small effect on the EMG power spectrum, which indicates that cross talk is not reduced with high-pass temporal filtering. Conversely, spatial filtering reduced the cross-talk magnitude and the overestimations of intermuscular correlation, confirming to be an effective and simple technique to reduce cross talk. This paper presents a new method for the identification and quantification of cross talk at the motor unit level and clarifies the influence of cross talk on EMG interpretation for muscles with different anatomy.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We proposed a new method for the identification and quantification of cross talk at the motor unit level. We show that surface EMG cross talk can lead to physiological misinterpretations of EMG signals such as overestimations in the muscle activity and intermuscular correlation. Cross talk had little influence on the EMG power spectrum, which indicates that conventional temporal filtering cannot minimize cross talk. Spatial filter (single and double differential) effectively reduces but not abolish cross talk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carina M Germer
- Neural Engineering Research Laboratory, Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.,Department of Bioengineering, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Dario Farina
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Leonardo A Elias
- Neural Engineering Research Laboratory, Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.,Department of Electronics and Biomedical Engineering, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Stefano Nuccio
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico," Rome, Italy
| | - François Hug
- Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance," Nantes University, Nantes, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.,School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Alessandro Del Vecchio
- Department of Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Hamard R, Aeles J, Kelp NY, Feigean R, Hug F, Dick TJM. Does different activation between the medial and the lateral gastrocnemius during walking translate into different fascicle behavior? J Exp Biol 2021; 224:269039. [PMID: 34096594 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The functional difference between the medial gastrocnemius (MG) and lateral gastrocnemius (LG) during walking in humans has not yet been fully established. Although evidence highlights that the MG is activated more than the LG, the link with potential differences in mechanical behavior between these muscles remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to determine whether differences in activation between the MG and LG translate into different fascicle behavior during walking. Fifteen participants walked at their preferred speed under two conditions: 0% and 10% incline treadmill grade. We used surface electromyography and B-mode ultrasound to estimate muscle activation and fascicle dynamics in the MG and LG. We observed a higher normalized activation in the MG than in the LG during stance, which did not translate into greater MG normalized fascicle shortening. However, we observed significantly less normalized fascicle lengthening in the MG than in the LG during early stance, which matched with the timing of differences in activation between muscles. This resulted in more isometric behavior of the MG, which likely influences the muscle-tendon interaction and enhances the catapult-like mechanism in the MG compared with the LG. Nevertheless, this interplay between muscle activation and fascicle behavior, evident at the group level, was not observed at the individual level, as revealed by the lack of correlation between the MG-LG differences in activation and MG-LG differences in fascicle behavior. The MG and LG are often considered as equivalent muscles but the neuromechanical differences between them suggest that they may have distinct functional roles during locomotion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël Hamard
- Nantes University, Laboratory 'Movement, Interactions, Performance' (EA 4334), 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Jeroen Aeles
- Nantes University, Laboratory 'Movement, Interactions, Performance' (EA 4334), 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Nicole Y Kelp
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Romain Feigean
- Nantes University, Laboratory 'Movement, Interactions, Performance' (EA 4334), 44000 Nantes, France.,Laboratoire de Physiologie et Evaluation Neuromusculaire, Institut de Myologie, 75013 Paris, France
| | - François Hug
- Nantes University, Laboratory 'Movement, Interactions, Performance' (EA 4334), 44000 Nantes, France.,The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75231 Paris, France
| | - Taylor J M Dick
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Besomi M, Salomoni SE, Hug F, Tier L, Vicenzino B, Hodges PW. Exploration of shear wave elastography measures of the iliotibial band during different tasks in pain-free runners. Phys Ther Sport 2021; 50:121-129. [PMID: 33975135 DOI: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2021.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine whether shear wave velocity (SWV) of the iliotibial band (ITB): i) increases with active and passive static tasks, and a dynamic task, ii) differs between ITB regions, iii) changes after exposure to running. Additionally, it aimed to determine the between-day reliability. DESIGN Case series & test-retest. SETTING Human movement unit laboratory. PARTICIPANTS Fifteen runners. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES SWV was measured unilaterally in three regions of the ITB (proximal, middle and distal), during six tasks: rest and contraction (pre- and post-running), modified Ober test, standing, pelvic drop, and weight shift. RESULTS Compared to rest, SWV was higher during contraction and Ober test in the distal and middle regions, and higher for the middle region in standing and pelvic drop. No differences were found between regions. A tendency of decreased SWV was observed after running. Compared to the start of the dynamic task, SWV was greater at the end of the movement. Reliability was moderate-to-good for the middle region in the standing tasks (ICCs = 0.68 to 0.84). CONCLUSION SVW of the ITB was higher under passive or active tension. Comparisons between tasks/regions need to be considered in light of the small sample size and poor repeatability of some regions/conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Besomi
- The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Sauro E Salomoni
- The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - François Hug
- The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia; Faculty of Sport Sciences, Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (EA 4334), University of Nantes, Nantes, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Louise Tier
- The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Bill Vicenzino
- The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Paul W Hodges
- The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Hug F, Avrillon S, Del Vecchio A, Casolo A, Ibanez J, Nuccio S, Rossato J, Holobar A, Farina D. Analysis of motor unit spike trains estimated from high-density surface electromyography is highly reliable across operators. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2021; 58:102548. [PMID: 33838590 DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2021.102548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a growing interest in decomposing high-density surface electromyography (HDsEMG) into motor unit spike trains to improve knowledge on the neural control of muscle contraction. However, the reliability of decomposition approaches is sometimes questioned, especially because they require manual editing of the outputs. We aimed to assess the inter-operator reliability of the identification of motor unit spike trains. Eight operators with varying experience in HDsEMG decomposition were provided with the same data extracted using the convolutive kernel compensation method. They were asked to manually edit them following established procedures. Data included signals from three lower leg muscles and different submaximal intensities. After manual analysis, 126 ± 5 motor units were retained (range across operators: 119-134). A total of 3380 rate of agreement values were calculated (28 pairwise comparisons × 11 contractions/muscles × 4-28 motor units). The median rate of agreement value was 99.6%. Inter-operator reliability was excellent for both mean discharge rate and time at recruitment (intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.99). These results show that when provided with the same decomposed data and the same basic instructions, operators converge toward almost identical results. Our data have been made available so that they can be used for training new operators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- François Hug
- Nantes University, Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (EA 4334), Nantes, France; The University of Queensland, NHMRC Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Australia; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France.
| | - Simon Avrillon
- Legs Walking AbilityLab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alessandro Del Vecchio
- Department of Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andrea Casolo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Jaime Ibanez
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, UK; Department of Clinical and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Stefano Nuccio
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - Julien Rossato
- Nantes University, Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (EA 4334), Nantes, France
| | - Aleš Holobar
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Dario Farina
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Hodges PW, Butler J, Tucker K, MacDonell CW, Poortvliet P, Schabrun S, Hug F, Garland SJ. Non-uniform Effects of Nociceptive Stimulation to Motoneurones during Experimental Muscle Pain. Neuroscience 2021; 463:45-56. [PMID: 33781800 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Nociceptive stimulation is predicted to uniformly inhibit motoneurone pools of painful muscles and those producing painful movements. Although reduced motoneurone discharge rate during pain provides some evidence, recent data show evidence of increased excitability of some motoneurones. These observations suggest non-uniform effects of nociception on motoneurone excitability. More direct measures are required, but this is difficult to assess as few measures enable in vivo evaluation of motoneurone excitability in humans. We investigated changes in motoneurone excitability during experimental pain using two methods in separate experiments: (i) estimation of the time-course of motoneurone afterhyperpolarization (AHP) from interval death rate analysis of interspike intervals of single motor unit discharge; and (ii) probability of early motoneurone discharge to a descending volley excited using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Tibialis anterior motor units were recorded with fine-wire electrodes before, during and after painful infusion of 5% hypertonic saline into the muscle. Activation of 17 units (16 participants) could be used for AHP analysis. Data show shortened (n = 11) and lengthened (n = 6) AHP time-course. Increased (n = 6) and decreased (n = 6) probability of early motoneurone discharge were observed in the TMS experiment. These convergent observations suggest non-uniform effects of nociceptive stimulation on motoneurone pools. This does not support the hypothesis that nociceptive input induces uniform inhibition of painful muscle. Instead, interpretation of results implies redistribution of activity between motor units, with possible benefit for unloading painful tissues. This finding supports an interpretation that differs from the generally accepted view in pain physiology regarding adaptation to motor function in pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul W Hodges
- Uni. of Queensland, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences/Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Qld 4072 Australia.
| | - Jane Butler
- Neuroscience Research Australia & Uni. of New South Wales, Randwick, Sydney, NSW 2035 Australia
| | - Kylie Tucker
- Uni. of Queensland, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences/Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Qld 4072 Australia
| | - Christopher W MacDonell
- Spinal Cord Research Centre, Department of Physiology & Pathophysiology, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E0J9 Canada
| | - Peter Poortvliet
- Uni. of Queensland, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences/Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Qld 4072 Australia
| | - Siobhan Schabrun
- Uni. of Queensland, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences/Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Qld 4072 Australia; Western Sydney Uni., School of Science & Health, Sydney, NSW 2049 Australia
| | - François Hug
- Uni. of Queensland, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences/Biomedical Sciences, Brisbane, Qld 4072 Australia; Uni. of Nantes, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Nantes, France
| | - S Jayne Garland
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Uni. of Western Ontario, London N6A 5B9, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Boyer A, Hug F, Avrillon S, Lacourpaille L. Individual differences in the distribution of activation among the hamstring muscle heads during stiff-leg Deadlift and Nordic hamstring exercises. J Sports Sci 2021; 39:1830-1837. [PMID: 33678131 DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2021.1899405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the distribution of activation among the three heads of the hamstring between a knee flexion-oriented exercise (Nordic hamstring) and a hip extension-oriented exercise (stiff-leg Deadlift) at the group and individual level. Data were collected for 20 participants. Muscle activation of the semimembranosus (SM), semitendinosus (ST), and biceps femoris (BF) was estimated using surface electromyography (EMG) during Nordic hamstring and stiff-leg Deadlift exercises. Although Nordic hamstring exercise induced a higher normalized RMS EMG value for BF (64.5 ± 17.4%) compared to SM (48.6 ± 14.6%; P<0.001) and ST (55.9 ± 17.4%; P < 0.001), the greatest active muscle varied between individuals. Similar interindividual differences in the greatest active muscle were found for the stiff-leg Deadlift exercise. Regarding the distribution of activation, the stiff-leg Deadlift favoured the contribution of the SM compared to ST (P < 0.001, 18/20 participants) whereas the Nordic hamstring exercise favoured the contribution of the ST compared to SM (P < 0.001, 19/20 participants). Importantly, these tasks affected the contribution of the activation of BF in different ways between individuals. The distribution of activation across the three muscles was well correlated between the two exercises (r values ≥ 0.42).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Boyer
- University of Nantes, Movement, Interactions, Performance, Nantes, France
| | - François Hug
- University of Nantes, Movement, Interactions, Performance, Nantes, France.,The University of Queensland, NHMRC Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Australia.,Institut Universitaire De France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Simon Avrillon
- University of Nantes, Movement, Interactions, Performance, Nantes, France.,Legs & Walking Lab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Besomi M, Nava GTDA, van den Hoorn W, Hug F, Vicenzino B, Hodges PW. Influence of transducer orientation on shear wave velocity measurements of the iliotibial band. J Biomech 2021; 120:110346. [PMID: 33714007 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Tissue anisotropy influences estimation of mechanical properties of connective tissues, such as the iliotibial band (ITB). This study investigated the influence of ultrasound transducer rotation and tilt on shear wave velocity (SWV, an index of stiffness) measurements of the ITB and the intra-rater repeatability of SWV measurements in the longitudinal direction. SWV was measured unilaterally (dominant limb) using ultrasound shear wave elastography in the middle region of the ITB in supine at rest (20-25° knee flexion) in ten healthy volunteers (4 females). A 3-dimensional video system provided real-time feedback of probe orientation with respect to the thigh. Measurements were made at 10° increments of probe rotation, from longitudinal to transverse alignment relative to the approximate direction of ITB fibres, and 5-10° tilts about the longitudinal and sideways axes of the transducer. One-way repeated measures ANOVA compared SWV between angles and tilts. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and standard error of measurement (SEM) were used to calculate repeatability for two to five (longitudinal only) repetitions. SWV was greatest when the transducer was aligned to ITB fibres (longitudinal: 10.5 ± 1.7 m/s) and lowest when perpendicular (transverse: 5.8 ± 2.4 m/s). Compared to longitudinal alignment, SWV decreased significantly (p < 0.01) when the transducer was rotated 20° or more. Tilted measurements did not differ between angles. Intra-rater repeatability was excellent with the average of two measurements (ICC = 0.99, 95% CI 0.95, 0.99; SEM = 0.31 m/s). These findings show that SWV changes with orientation relative to fibre direction. Transducer orientation requires careful control to ensure comparable measures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Besomi
- The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Guilherme Thomaz de Aquino Nava
- Department of Physical Education, Institute of Biosciences of Rio Claro, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Wolbert van den Hoorn
- The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - François Hug
- The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia; Faculty of Sport Sciences, Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (EA 4334), University of Nantes, Nantes, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Bill Vicenzino
- The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Paul W Hodges
- The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Hug F, Del Vecchio A, Avrillon S, Farina D, Tucker K. Muscles from the same muscle group do not necessarily share common drive: evidence from the human triceps surae. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2021; 130:342-354. [DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00635.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we demonstrated that the three muscles composing the human triceps surae share minimal common drive during isometric contractions. Our results suggest that reducing the number of effectively controlled degrees of freedom may not always be the strategy used by the central nervous system to control movements. Independent control of some, but not all, synergist muscles may allow for more flexible control to comply with secondary goals (e.g., joint stabilization).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- François Hug
- Laboratory “Movement, Interactions, Performance” (EA 4334), Nantes University, Nantes, France
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Alessandro Del Vecchio
- Neuromechanics and Rehabilitation Technology Group, Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen,Germany
| | - Simon Avrillon
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Legs + Walking AbilityLab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Dario Farina
- Neuromechanics and Rehabilitation Technology Group, Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kylie Tucker
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Aeles J, Horst F, Lapuschkin S, Lacourpaille L, Hug F. Revealing the unique features of each individual's muscle activation signatures. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20200770. [PMID: 33435843 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that each individual has unique movement patterns, or signatures. The exact origin of these movement signatures, however, remains unknown. We developed an approach that can identify individual muscle activation signatures during two locomotor tasks (walking and pedalling). A linear support vector machine was used to classify 78 participants based on their electromyographic (EMG) patterns measured on eight lower limb muscles. To provide insight into decision-making by the machine learning classification model, a layer-wise relevance propagation (LRP) approach was implemented. This enabled the model predictions to be decomposed into relevance scores for each individual input value. In other words, it provided information regarding which features of the time-varying EMG profiles were unique to each individual. Through extensive testing, we have shown that the LRP results, and by extent the activation signatures, are highly consistent between conditions and across days. In addition, they are minimally influenced by the dataset used to train the model. Additionally, we proposed a method for visualizing each individual's muscle activation signature, which has several potential clinical and scientific applications. This is the first study to provide conclusive evidence of the existence of individual muscle activation signatures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen Aeles
- Laboratory 'Movement, Interactions, Performance' (EA 4334), University of Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Fabian Horst
- Department of Training and Movement Science, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
| | - Sebastian Lapuschkin
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lilian Lacourpaille
- Laboratory 'Movement, Interactions, Performance' (EA 4334), University of Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - François Hug
- Laboratory 'Movement, Interactions, Performance' (EA 4334), University of Nantes, Nantes, France.,The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Australia.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Avrillon S, Del Vecchio A, Farina D, Pons JL, Vogel C, Umehara J, Hug F. Individual differences in the neural strategies to control the lateral and medial head of the quadriceps during a mechanically constrained task. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2021; 130:269-281. [DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00653.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We observed that the distribution of the strength of neural drive between the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis during a single-joint isometric task varied across participants. Also, we observed that the proportion of neural drive that was shared within and between these muscles also varied across participants. These results provide evidence that the neural strategies to control the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis muscles widely vary across individuals, even during a mechanically constrained task.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Avrillon
- Legs + Walking AbilityLab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
- Laboratory Movement, Interactions, Performance, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Alessandro Del Vecchio
- Department of Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Neuromechanics and Rehabilitation Technology Group, Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dario Farina
- Neuromechanics and Rehabilitation Technology Group, Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - José L. Pons
- Legs + Walking AbilityLab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Clément Vogel
- Laboratory Movement, Interactions, Performance, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Jun Umehara
- Department of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - François Hug
- Laboratory Movement, Interactions, Performance, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Lindemann I, Coombes BK, Tucker K, Hug F, Dick TJ. Age-related differences in gastrocnemii muscles and Achilles tendon mechanical properties in vivo. J Biomech 2020; 112:110067. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.110067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
|
37
|
Andrade RJ, Freitas SR, Hug F, Le Sant G, Lacourpaille L, Gross R, Quillard JB, McNair PJ, Nordez A. Chronic effects of muscle and nerve-directed stretching on tissue mechanics. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2020; 129:1011-1023. [PMID: 32853116 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00239.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue-directed stretching interventions can preferentially load muscular or nonmuscular structures such as peripheral nerves. How these tissues adapt mechanically to long-term stretching is poorly understood. This randomized, single-blind, controlled study used ultrasonography and dynamometry to compare the effects of 12-wk nerve-directed and muscle-directed stretching programs versus control on maximal ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) and passive torque, shear wave velocity (SWV; an index of stiffness), and architecture of triceps surae and sciatic nerve. Sixty healthy adults were randomized to receive nerve-directed stretching, muscle-directed stretching, or no intervention (control). The muscle-directed protocol was designed to primarily stretch the plantar flexor muscle group, whereas the nerve-directed intervention targeted the sciatic nerve tract. Compared with the control group [mean; 95% confidence interval (CI)], muscle-directed intervention showed increased ROM (+7.3°; 95% CI: 4.1-10.5), decreased SWV of triceps surae (varied from -0.8 to -2.3 m/s across muscles), decreased passive torque (-6.8 N·m; 95% CI: -11.9 to -1.7), and greater gastrocnemius medialis fascicle length (+0.4 cm; 95% CI: 0.1-0.8). Muscle-directed intervention did not affect the SWV and size of sciatic nerve. Participants in the nerve-directed group showed a significant increase in ROM (+9.9°; 95% CI: 6.2-13.6) and a significant decrease in sciatic nerve SWV (> -1.8 m/s across nerve regions) compared with the control group. Nerve-directed intervention had no effect on the main outcomes at muscle and joint levels. These findings provide new insights into the long-term mechanical effects of stretching interventions and have relevance to clinical conditions where change in mechanical properties has occurred.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study demonstrates that the mechanical properties of plantar flexor muscles and sciatic nerve can adapt mechanically to long-term stretching programs. Although interventions targeting muscular or nonmuscular structures are both effective at increasing maximal range of motion, the changes in tissue mechanical properties (stiffness) are specific to the structure being preferentially stretched by each program. We provide the first in vivo evidence that stiffness of peripheral nerves adapts to long-term loading stimuli using appropriate nerve-directed stretching.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo J Andrade
- Laboratory of Movement, Interactions, Performance (EA 4334), Faculty of Sport Sciences, Nantes, University of Nantes, France.,School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University, Brisbane and Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.,Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sandro R Freitas
- Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Centro Interdisciplinar de Estudo da Performance Humana (CIPER), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - François Hug
- Laboratory of Movement, Interactions, Performance (EA 4334), Faculty of Sport Sciences, Nantes, University of Nantes, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France.,The University of Queensland, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Guillaume Le Sant
- Laboratory of Movement, Interactions, Performance (EA 4334), Faculty of Sport Sciences, Nantes, University of Nantes, France.,School of Physiotherapy (IFM3R), Nantes, France
| | - Lilian Lacourpaille
- Laboratory of Movement, Interactions, Performance (EA 4334), Faculty of Sport Sciences, Nantes, University of Nantes, France
| | - Raphaël Gross
- Laboratory of Movement, Interactions, Performance (EA 4334), Faculty of Sport Sciences, Nantes, University of Nantes, France.,Gait Analysis Laboratory, Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Department, University Hospital of Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Quillard
- Laboratory of Movement, Interactions, Performance (EA 4334), Faculty of Sport Sciences, Nantes, University of Nantes, France
| | - Peter J McNair
- Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Antoine Nordez
- Laboratory of Movement, Interactions, Performance (EA 4334), Faculty of Sport Sciences, Nantes, University of Nantes, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France.,Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Morel B, Hug F, Nordez A, Pournot H, Besson T, Mathevon L, Lapole T. Reduced Active Muscle Stiffness after Intermittent Submaximal Isometric Contractions. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2020; 51:2603-2609. [PMID: 31269006 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000002080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Whether muscle stiffness is influenced by fatigue remains unclear. Classical methods used to assess muscle stiffness provide a global measure at the joint level. As fatigue may selectively affect specific muscles, a joint-level approach may not be sensitive enough to detect potential changes in muscle stiffness. Taking advantage of ultrasound shear wave elastography, this study aimed to determine the influence of a fatiguing protocol involving intermittent submaximal isometric contractions on muscle shear modulus (an index of stiffness). METHODS Shear modulus was measured on either the vastus lateralis (n = 9) or the abductor digiti minimi (n = 10) before and after 15 min of intermittent submaximal isometric contractions at 60% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) (4 s ON, 4 s OFF). An index of active muscle stiffness was estimated PRE- and POST-fatigue as the slope of the linear regression established between shear modulus and absolute joint force up to 60% MVC. RESULTS After the fatiguing exercise, MVC was significantly decreased by 22% ± 7% and 32% ± 15% for knee extension and little finger abduction, respectively (P < 0.001). When compared to PRE-fatigue, the index of active muscle stiffness was 12% ± 15% lower for the vastus lateralis (P < 0.031) and 44% ± 19% lower for the abductor digiti minimi (P < 0.001) POST-fatigue. CONCLUSIONS Although the present results cannot clearly determine the involved mechanisms, they demonstrate a decreased active muscle stiffness after a fatiguing task involving intermittent submaximal isometric contractions. Further studies should now determine whether this change in stiffness affects performance and risk of injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Baptiste Morel
- University of Saint-Etienne, Inter-university Laboratory of Human Movement Science, University of Lyon, Saint-Etienne, FRANCE.,Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance," Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Department of Sport Sciences, Le Mans University, Le Mans, FRANCE
| | - François Hug
- Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance," Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Nantes, Nantes, FRANCE.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, FRANCE
| | - Antoine Nordez
- Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance," Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Nantes, Nantes, FRANCE.,Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
| | - Hervé Pournot
- University of Saint-Etienne, Inter-university Laboratory of Human Movement Science, University of Lyon, Saint-Etienne, FRANCE
| | - Thibault Besson
- University of Saint-Etienne, Inter-university Laboratory of Human Movement Science, University of Lyon, Saint-Etienne, FRANCE
| | - Laure Mathevon
- University of Saint-Etienne, Inter-university Laboratory of Human Movement Science, University of Lyon, Saint-Etienne, FRANCE
| | - Thomas Lapole
- University of Saint-Etienne, Inter-university Laboratory of Human Movement Science, University of Lyon, Saint-Etienne, FRANCE
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Besomi M, Hodges PW, Clancy EA, Van Dieën J, Hug F, Lowery M, Merletti R, Søgaard K, Wrigley T, Besier T, Carson RG, Disselhorst-Klug C, Enoka RM, Falla D, Farina D, Gandevia S, Holobar A, Kiernan MC, McGill K, Perreault E, Rothwell JC, Tucker K. Consensus for experimental design in electromyography (CEDE) project: Amplitude normalization matrix. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2020; 53:102438. [PMID: 32569878 DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2020.102438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The general purpose of normalization of EMG amplitude is to enable comparisons between participants, muscles, measurement sessions or electrode positions. Normalization is necessary to reduce the impact of differences in physiological and anatomical characteristics of muscles and surrounding tissues. Normalization of the EMG amplitude provides information about the magnitude of muscle activation relative to a reference value. It is essential to select an appropriate method for normalization with specific reference to how the EMG signal will be interpreted, and to consider how the normalized EMG amplitude may change when interpreting it under specific conditions. This matrix, developed by the Consensus for Experimental Design in Electromyography (CEDE) project, presents six approaches to EMG normalization: (1) Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) in same task/context as the task of interest, (2) Standardized isometric MVC (which is not necessarily matched to the contraction type in the task of interest), (3) Standardized submaximal task (isometric/dynamic) that can be task-specific, (4) Peak/mean EMG amplitude in task, (5) Non-normalized, and (6) Maximal M-wave. General considerations for normalization, features that should be reported, definitions, and "pros and cons" of each normalization approach are presented first. This information is followed by recommendations for specific experimental contexts, along with an explanation of the factors that determine the suitability of a method, and frequently asked questions. This matrix is intended to help researchers when selecting, reporting and interpreting EMG amplitude data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Besomi
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Paul W Hodges
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
| | | | - Jaap Van Dieën
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - François Hug
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Faculty of Sport Sciences, Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (EA 4334), University of Nantes, Nantes, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Madeleine Lowery
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Roberto Merletti
- LISiN, Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Karen Søgaard
- Department of Clinical Research and Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Tim Wrigley
- Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, Department of Physiotherapy, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Thor Besier
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute and Department of Engineering Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Richard G Carson
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK; School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | - Catherine Disselhorst-Klug
- Department of Rehabilitation and Prevention Engineering, Institute of Applied Medical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Roger M Enoka
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Deborah Falla
- Centre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain (CPR Spine), School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Dario Farina
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Simon Gandevia
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Aleš Holobar
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 46, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Eric Perreault
- Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - John C Rothwell
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Kylie Tucker
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Vaidya T, Thomas-Ollivier V, Hug F, Bernady A, Le Blanc C, de Bisschop C, Chambellan A. Translation and Cultural Adaptation of PROactive Instruments for COPD in French and Influence of Weather and Pollution on Its Difficulty Score. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2020; 15:471-478. [PMID: 32184584 PMCID: PMC7060774 DOI: 10.2147/copd.s214410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The recently developed daily and clinical visit PROactive physical activity in COPD (PPAC) instruments are hybrid tools to objectively quantify the level of physical activity and the difficulties experienced in everyday life. Our aim was to translate these instruments for the French-speaking chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) community worldwide and evaluate the influence of weather and pollution on difficulty score. Methods The translation procedure was conducted following the guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation process. The translated clinical visit (C-PPAC) was tested among COPD patients in France. A retest was conducted after an interval of at least 2 weeks. The C-PPAC difficulty score was then tested to see how sensitive it was to the influence of weather and outdoor pollution. Results One hundred and seventeen COPD patients (age 65±9 years; FEV1: 51±20%) from 9 regions in France were included. The French version of C-PPAC was found comprehensible by the patients with an average score of 4.8/5 on a Likert-scale. It showed good internal consistency with Cronbach’s α>0.90 and a good test retest reliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient of ≥0.80. The difficulty score was negatively correlated with duration of daylight (ρ=−0.266; p<0.01) and influenced by the intensity of rainfall (light vs. heavy rainfall: 68±16 vs. 76±14 respectively, p=0.045). The score was lower in patients receiving long term oxygen therapy (60±15 vs. 71±15, p<0.01), but not correlated with the pollution indices. Conclusion The French versions of the questionnaires of the PPAC instruments are accepted and comprehensible to COPD patients. The difficulty score of C-PPAC is sensitive to duration of daylight and rainfall. Such weather factors must be taken into consideration when evaluating the physical activity behavior using these tools in COPD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Trija Vaidya
- Laboratory MOVE (EA6314), Université de Poitiers, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Poitiers, France
| | - Véronique Thomas-Ollivier
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Movement-Interactions-Performance, MIP, EA 4334, Université de Nantes, Nantes F-4000, France
| | - François Hug
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Movement-Interactions-Performance, MIP, EA 4334, Université de Nantes, Nantes F-4000, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Alain Bernady
- Toki-Eder Centre Médical Cardio-Respiratoire, Cambo-Les-Bains, France
| | - Camille Le Blanc
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, University Hospital of Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Claire de Bisschop
- Laboratory MOVE (EA6314), Université de Poitiers, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Poitiers, France
| | - Arnaud Chambellan
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, Movement-Interactions-Performance, MIP, EA 4334, Université de Nantes, Nantes F-4000, France.,L'institut du Thorax, Laboratory MIP, UNIV Nantes, University Hospital of Nantes, Nantes, France
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Abstract
Hamstring strain injuries (HSIs) involve tissue disruption and pain, which can trigger long-term adaptations of muscle coordination. However, little is known about the effect of previous HSIs on muscle coordination and in particular, after the completion of rehabilitation and in the absence of symptoms. This study aimed to determine if elite athletes with a prior unilateral HSI have bilateral differences in coordination between the hamstring muscle heads after returning to sport. Seventeen athletes with a unilateral history of biceps femoris (BF) injury participated in the experiment. Surface electromyography was recorded from three hamstring muscles [BF, semimembranosus (SM), and semitendinosus] during submaximal isometric torque-matched tasks at 20% and 50% of maximal voluntary contraction. The product of normalized electromyographic amplitude with functional physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) and moment arm was considered as an index of individual muscle torque. The contribution of the injured muscle to total knee flexion torque was lower in the injured than the uninjured limb (-5.6 ± 10.2%, P = 0.038). This reduced contribution of BF was compensated by a higher contribution of the SM muscle in the injured limb (+5.6 ± 7.5%, P = 0.007). These changes resulted from a lower contribution of PCSA from the injured muscle (BF) and a larger contribution of activation from an uninjured synergist muscle (SM). In conclusion, bilateral differences in coordination were observed in previously injured athletes despite the completion of rehabilitation. Whether these bilateral differences in hamstring coordination could constitute an intrinsic risk factor that contributes to the high rate of hamstring injury recurrence remains to be investigated.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We used an experimental approach, combining the assessment of muscle activation, physiological cross-sectional area, and moment arm to estimate force-sharing strategies among hamstring muscles during isometric knee flexions. We tested athletes with a history of hamstring injury. We observed a lower contribution of the injured biceps femoris to the total knee flexor torque in the injured limb than in the contralateral limb. This decreased contribution was mainly due to selective atrophy of the injured biceps femoris muscle and was compensated by an increased activation of the semimembranosus muscle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Avrillon
- Laboratory Sport, Expertise and Performance (EA 7370), French Institute of Sport, Paris, France.,Laboratory Movement, Interactions, Performance (EA 4334), Nantes University, Nantes, France.,Legs & Walking Lab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - François Hug
- Laboratory Movement, Interactions, Performance (EA 4334), Nantes University, Nantes, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.,School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Gaël Guilhem
- Laboratory Sport, Expertise and Performance (EA 7370), French Institute of Sport, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Avrillon S, Lacourpaille L, Hug F, Le Sant G, Frey A, Nordez A, Guilhem G. Hamstring muscle elasticity differs in specialized high‐performance athletes. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2019; 30:83-91. [DOI: 10.1111/sms.13564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Avrillon
- Laboratory Sport, Expertise and Performance (EA 7370) French Institute of Sport (INSEP) Paris France
- Nantes Université, Movement, Interactions, Performance, MIP, EA 4334 Nantes France
| | - Lilian Lacourpaille
- Nantes Université, Movement, Interactions, Performance, MIP, EA 4334 Nantes France
| | - François Hug
- Nantes Université, Movement, Interactions, Performance, MIP, EA 4334 Nantes France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF) Paris France
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
| | - Guillaume Le Sant
- Nantes Université, Movement, Interactions, Performance, MIP, EA 4334 Nantes France
- School of Physiotherapy, IFM3R Nantes France
| | - Alain Frey
- Medical Department French Institute of Sport (INSEP) Paris France
- Service de Médecine du sport CHI Poissy/St Germain Saint Germain en Laye France
| | - Antoine Nordez
- Nantes Université, Movement, Interactions, Performance, MIP, EA 4334 Nantes France
- Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences Health and Rehabilitation Research InstituteAuckland University of Technology Auckland New Zealand
| | - Gaël Guilhem
- Laboratory Sport, Expertise and Performance (EA 7370) French Institute of Sport (INSEP) Paris France
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Hug F, Vogel C, Tucker K, Dorel S, Deschamps T, Le Carpentier É, Lacourpaille L. Individuals have unique muscle activation signatures as revealed during gait and pedaling. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2019; 127:1165-1174. [DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01101.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Although it is known that the muscle activation patterns used to produce even simple movements can vary between individuals, these differences have not been considered to prove the existence of individual muscle activation strategies (or signatures). We used a machine learning approach (support vector machine) to test the hypothesis that each individual has unique muscle activation signatures. Eighty participants performed a series of pedaling and gait tasks, and 53 of these participants performed a second experimental session on a subsequent day. Myoelectrical activity was measured from eight muscles: vastus lateralis and medialis, rectus femoris, gastrocnemius lateralis and medialis, soleus, tibialis anterior, and biceps femoris -long head. The classification task involved separating data into training and testing sets. For the within-day classification, each pedaling/gait cycle was tested using the classifier, which had been trained on the remaining cycles. For the between-day classification, each cycle from day 2 was tested using the classifier, which had been trained on the cycles from day 1. When considering all eight muscles, the activation profiles were assigned to the corresponding individuals with a classification rate of up to 99.28% (2,353/2,370 cycles) and 91.22% (1,341/1,470 cycles) for the within-day and between-day classification, respectively. When considering the within-day classification, a combination of two muscles was sufficient to obtain a classification rate >80% for both pedaling and gait. When considering between-day classification, a combination of four to five muscles was sufficient to obtain a classification rate >80% for pedaling and gait. These results demonstrate that strategies not only vary between individuals, as is often assumed, but are unique to each individual. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We used a machine learning approach to test the uniqueness and robustness of muscle activation patterns. We considered that, if an algorithm can accurately identify participants, one can conclude that these participants exhibit discernible differences and thus have unique muscle activation signatures. Our results show that activation patterns not only vary between individuals, but are unique to each individual. Individual differences should, therefore, be considered relevant information for addressing fundamental questions about the control of movement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- François Hug
- Movement, Interactions, Performance, Nantes Université, EA 4334, Nantes, France
- National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Clément Vogel
- Movement, Interactions, Performance, Nantes Université, EA 4334, Nantes, France
| | - Kylie Tucker
- National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sylvain Dorel
- Movement, Interactions, Performance, Nantes Université, EA 4334, Nantes, France
| | - Thibault Deschamps
- Movement, Interactions, Performance, Nantes Université, EA 4334, Nantes, France
| | | | - Lilian Lacourpaille
- Movement, Interactions, Performance, Nantes Université, EA 4334, Nantes, France
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Coombes B, Tucker K, Hug F, Scott A, Cox E, Gajanand T, Coombes J. Supervised exercise training and Achilles tendon properties in people with Type 2 Diabetes. J Sci Med Sport 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2019.08.280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
45
|
Thibault S, Hug F, Deschamps T. Performance fatigability does not impact the inhibitory control. Neurosci Res 2019; 146:48-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
46
|
Coombes B, Tucker K, Hug F, Scott A, Geytenbeek M, Cox E, Gajanand T, Coombes J. Relationships between cardiovascular disease risk factors and Achilles tendon structural and mechanical properties in people with Type 2 Diabetes. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J 2019. [DOI: 10.32098/mltj.03.2019.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B.K. Coombes
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Otto Hirschfeld Building, St Lucia, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - K. Tucker
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences, Otto Hirschfeld Building, St Lucia, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - F. Hug
- The University of Queensland, NHMRC Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, Therapies Building, St Lucia, Brisbane 4072, Australia
- Laboratory “Movement, Interactions, Performance” (EA 4334), University of Nantes, Nantes 44000, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - A. Scott
- The University of British Columbia, Department of Physical Therapy, 2177 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, V6T1Z3, Canada
| | - M. Geytenbeek
- The University of Queensland, Centre for Research on Exercise, Physical Activity and Health, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Connell Building, St Lucia, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - E.R. Cox
- The University of Queensland, Centre for Research on Exercise, Physical Activity and Health, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Connell Building, St Lucia, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - T. Gajanand
- The University of Queensland, Centre for Research on Exercise, Physical Activity and Health, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Connell Building, St Lucia, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - J.S. Coombes
- The University of Queensland, Centre for Research on Exercise, Physical Activity and Health, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Connell Building, St Lucia, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Besomi M, Hodges PW, Van Dieën J, Carson RG, Clancy EA, Disselhorst-Klug C, Holobar A, Hug F, Kiernan MC, Lowery M, McGill K, Merletti R, Perreault E, Søgaard K, Tucker K, Besier T, Enoka R, Falla D, Farina D, Gandevia S, Rothwell JC, Vicenzino B, Wrigley T. Consensus for experimental design in electromyography (CEDE) project: Electrode selection matrix. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2019; 48:128-144. [PMID: 31352156 DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2019.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The Consensus for Experimental Design in Electromyography (CEDE) project is an international initiative which aims to guide decision-making in recording, analysis, and interpretation of electromyographic (EMG) data. The quality of the EMG recording, and validity of its interpretation depend on many characteristics of the recording set-up and analysis procedures. Different electrode types (i.e., surface and intramuscular) will influence the recorded signal and its interpretation. This report presents a matrix to consider the best electrode type selection for recording EMG, and the process undertaken to achieve consensus. Four electrode types were considered: (1) conventional surface electrode, (2) surface matrix or array electrode, (3) fine-wire electrode, and (4) needle electrode. General features, pros, and cons of each electrode type are presented first. This information is followed by recommendations for specific types of muscles, the information that can be estimated, the typical representativeness of the recording and the types of contractions for which the electrode is best suited. This matrix is intended to help researchers when selecting and reporting the electrode type in EMG studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Besomi
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Paul W Hodges
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Jaap Van Dieën
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Richard G Carson
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK; School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Catherine Disselhorst-Klug
- Department of Rehabilitation and Prevention Engineering, Institute of Applied Medical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Aleš Holobar
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 46, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - François Hug
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Faculty of Sport Sciences, Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (EA 4334), University of Nantes, Nantes, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Madeleine Lowery
- UCD School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kevin McGill
- US Department of Veterans Affairs, United States
| | - Roberto Merletti
- LISiN, Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Eric Perreault
- Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Karen Søgaard
- Department of Clinical Research and Department of Sports Sciences and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Kylie Tucker
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Thor Besier
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute and Department of Engineering Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Roger Enoka
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Deborah Falla
- Centre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain (CPR Spine), School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Dario Farina
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Simon Gandevia
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - John C Rothwell
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Bill Vicenzino
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Tim Wrigley
- Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, Department of Physiotherapy, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Le Sant G, Gross R, Hug F, Nordez A. Influence of low muscle activation levels on the ankle torque and muscle shear modulus during plantar flexor stretching. J Biomech 2019; 93:111-117. [PMID: 31280899 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
During stretching studies, surface electromyography (sEMG) is used to ensure the passive state of the muscle, for the characterization of passive muscle mechanical properties. Different thresholds (1%, 2% or 5% of maximal) are indifferently used to set "passive state". This study aimed to investigate the effects of a slight activity on the joint and muscle mechanical properties during stretching. The joint torque and muscle shear modulus of the triceps surae muscles were measured in fifteen healthy volunteers during ankle dorsiflexions: (i) in a "fully relaxed" state, (ii) during active conditions where participants were asked to produce an sEMG amplitude of 1%, 2% or 5% of their maximal sEMG amplitude of the triceps surae. The 1% condition was the only that did not result in significant differences in joint torque or shear modulus compared to the relaxed condition. In the 2% condition, increases in joint torque were found at 80% of the maximal angle in dorsiflexion, and in the shear modulus of gastrocnemius medialis and gastrocnemius lateralis at the maximal angle in dorsiflexion. During the 5% condition, joint torque and the shear modulus of gastrocnemius medialis were higher than during relaxed condition at angles larger than 40% of maximal angle in dorsiflexion. The results provide new insights on the thresholds that should be considered for the design of stretching studies. A threshold of 1% seems much more appropriate than a 2% or 5% threshold in healthy participants. Further studies are required to define similar thresholds for patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Le Sant
- Nantes Université, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, EA 4334, F-44000 Nantes, France; School of Physiotherapy (IFM3R), Nantes, France.
| | - Raphaël Gross
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, EA 4334, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - François Hug
- Nantes Université, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, EA 4334, F-44000 Nantes, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France; The University of Queensland, Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Antoine Nordez
- Nantes Université, Movement - Interactions - Performance, MIP, EA 4334, F-44000 Nantes, France; Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Xie Y, Thomas L, Hug F, Johnston V, Coombes BK. Quantifying cervical and axioscapular muscle stiffness using shear wave elastography. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2019; 48:94-102. [PMID: 31272075 DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2019.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to assess intra-rater (intra-session and inter-day) reliability and influence of side dominance and the scapular resting position on the shear modulus (an index of stiffness) of resting cervical and axioscapular muscles. Sixteen healthy participants were recruited. On day one, ultrasound shear wave elastography was used to measure the shear modulus of superficial and deep cervical extensor and axioscapular muscles bilaterally. Clinical assessments of scapular resting position were performed bilaterally. On day two, testing was repeated on the dominant side. Both intra-session and inter-day reliability were good to excellent for shear modulus of superficial muscles, and poor to excellent for deep muscles. Side differences of shear modulus for posterior upper trapezius were statistically significant but clinically irrelevant. The shear modulus of posterior upper trapezius and middle trapezius were significantly correlated with scapular depression. Ultrasound shear wave elastography is a reliable tool for quantitatively assessing stiffness of superficial cervical and axioscapular muscles. The influence of scapular position should be considered in future comparative studies of healthy controls and patients with neck/shoulder pain. This study provides the necessary first step for future studies on assessing and interpreting the stiffness of cervical and axioscapular muscles for neck and shoulder musculoskeletal disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanfei Xie
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, The University of Queensland, Australia.
| | - Lucy Thomas
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | - François Hug
- Laboratory "Movement, Interactions, Performance" (EA 4334), UFR STAPS, University of Nantes, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France; School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | - Venerina Johnston
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, The University of Queensland, Australia; RECOVER Injury Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | - Brooke K Coombes
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, The University of Queensland, Australia; School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Le Sant G, Nordez A, Hug F, Andrade R, Lecharte T, McNair PJ, Gross R. Effects of stroke injury on the shear modulus of the lower leg muscle during passive dorsiflexion. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2019; 126:11-22. [DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00968.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Contractures are common complications of a stroke. The spatial location of the increased stiffness among plantar flexors and its variability among survivors remain unknown. This study assessed the mechanical properties of the lower leg muscles in stroke survivors during passive dorsiflexions. Stiffness was estimated through the measurement of the shear modulus. Two experiments were independently conducted, in which participants lay supine: with the knee extended ( experiment 1, n = 13 stroke survivors and n = 13 controls), or with the knee flexed at 90° ( experiment 2, n = 14 stroke survivors and n = 14 controls). The shear modulus of plantar flexors [gastrocnemius medialis (three locations), gastrocnemius lateralis (three locations), soleus (two locations), flexor digitorum longus, flexor hallucis longus), peroneus longus] and dorsiflexors (tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus) was measured using ultrasound shear wave elastography during passive dorsiflexions (2°/s). At the same ankle angle, stroke survivors displayed higher shear modulus than controls for gastrocnemius medialis and gastrocnemius lateralis (knee extended) and soleus (knee flexed). Very low shear modulus was found for the other muscles. The adjustment for muscle slack angle suggested that the increased shear modulus was arising from consequences of contractures. The stiffness distribution between muscles was consistent across participants with the highest shear modulus reported for the most distal regions of gastrocnemius medialis (knee extended) and soleus (knee flexed). These results provide a better appreciation of stiffness locations among plantar flexors of stroke survivors and can provide evidence for the implementation of clinical trials to evaluate targeted interventions applied on these specific muscle regions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The shear modulus of 13 muscle regions was assessed in stroke patients using elastography. When compared with controls, shear modulus was increased in the gastrocnemius muscle (GM) when the knee was extended and in the soleus (SOL) when the knee was flexed. The distal regions of GM and SOL were the most affected. These changes were consistent in all the stroke patients, suggesting that the regions are a potential source of the increase in joint stiffness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Le Sant
- University of Nantes, Laboratory “Movement, Interactions, Performance” (EA 4334), Faculty of Sport Sciences, Nantes, France
- School of Physiotherapy, Institut Régional de Formation aux Métiers de Rééducation et de Réadaptation Pays de la Loire, Nantes, France
| | - Antoine Nordez
- University of Nantes, Laboratory “Movement, Interactions, Performance” (EA 4334), Faculty of Sport Sciences, Nantes, France
- Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - François Hug
- University of Nantes, Laboratory “Movement, Interactions, Performance” (EA 4334), Faculty of Sport Sciences, Nantes, France
- The University of Queensland, Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Australia
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Ricardo Andrade
- University of Nantes, Laboratory “Movement, Interactions, Performance” (EA 4334), Faculty of Sport Sciences, Nantes, France
- Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Motricdade Humana, Centro Interdisciplinar de Performance Humana, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Thomas Lecharte
- School of Physiotherapy, Institut Régional de Formation aux Métiers de Rééducation et de Réadaptation Pays de la Loire, Nantes, France
| | - Peter J. McNair
- Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Raphaël Gross
- University of Nantes, Laboratory “Movement, Interactions, Performance” (EA 4334), Faculty of Sport Sciences, Nantes, France
- Gait Analysis Laboratory, Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Department, University Hospital of Nantes, Nantes, France
| |
Collapse
|