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The role of cocontraction in the impairment of movement accuracy with fatigue.
- Source :
-
Experimental brain research [Exp Brain Res] 2008 Feb; Vol. 185 (1), pp. 151-6. Date of Electronic Publication: 2008 Jan 19. - Publication Year :
- 2008
-
Abstract
- The present experiment was designed to test the hypothesis that fatigue-induced impairment in movement accuracy is caused by a decrease in muscle cocontraction rather than a reduced ability to produce muscular force. Seven participants performed fast and accurate elbow extensions aimed at a target, before and after a fatigue protocol. The inertia of the manipulandum was decreased after the fatigue protocol so that the ratio of required to available force during movements was identical pre- and post-fatigue. After the fatigue protocol, movement endpoint accuracy decreased and movement endpoint variability increased. These alterations were associated with a decrease in cocontraction. We concluded that the impairment of movement accuracy during fatigue could not be explained by the lack of available force, but was likely to be due to a fatigue-induced decrease in muscular cocontraction. We then speculate that fatigue influences the relative weights of accuracy and energy economy in the optimisation of sensorimotor control.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1432-1106
- Volume :
- 185
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Experimental brain research
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 18205000
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-007-1264-x