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Signs of muscle thixotropy during human ballistic wrist joint movements

Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden

Submitted 13 December 2004 ; accepted in final form 28 June 2005

A study was conducted on healthy subjects to determine whether voluntary ballistic wrist flexion movements are influenced by immediately preceding conditioning of the forearm muscles. Single rapid wrist flexion movements were made in response to an auditory "Go" signal. Rectified surface EMG was recorded from wrist flexors and extensors, and joint position was measured by a goniometer. The movements were preceded (2–3 s) by four different conditioning routines: 40-s rest (Rest), 10-s voluntary alternating wrist joint flexion and extension movements (Osc), and 10 s of 25° weak isometric wrist extensor (Ext) or flexor contractions (Flex). When subjects made ballistic movements after Osc compared with Rest, peak velocity was higher (P = 0.02) and movement time shorter (P = 0.06), but there was no difference (P = 0.83) in motor reaction time (time between the onset of the first agonist burst and movement onset). If the movements were preceded by Ext compared with Flex, motor reaction time was longer (P = 0.01), indicating a longer electromechanical delay. There were no indications that postconditioning differences in agonist or antagonist muscle activity could explain the results. It was also demonstrated that, after Rest, peak velocity was lower (P < 0.01) for the first than for the second of a series of repetitive ballistic movements. The observations corresponded to results from passive experiments in which the median nerve was electrically stimulated. In conclusion, history-dependent (thixotropic) changes in skeletal muscle resistance seem to have implications for voluntary ballistic wrist movements. The study also provided evidence that muscle conditioning influences the central nervous reaction time preceding ballistic contractions.

motor control; skeletal muscles; history-dependentrol; mechanical behavior