Authors: Shinya Masahiro Oda Shingo
Publish Date: 2010/04/23
Volume: 203, Issue: 2, Pages: 437-446
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of prior knowledge of the potential loss of support during walking on muscle responses to the potential perturbation Four conditions were tested noninstructed control NC noninstructed perturbed NP instructed control IC and instructed perturbed IP Participants were perturbed by having them step into a hidden hole 85 cm in a walkway during the NP and IP trials Participants had no prior knowledge of the potential perturbation under the NC and NP conditions but under the instructed conditions participants were informed that there might be a hole in the walkway A cautious landing strategy was observed in the IC trials The participants exhibited flatfooted landings plantar angle NC 137 ± 28° IC 85 ± 52° and a prolonged double support phase NC 138 ± 18 ms IC 161 ± 17 ms when they had prior knowledge of the possible hole When the participants encountered a hole we saw triggering of fast muscle responses in the ipsilateral plantarflexors and knee extensor as well as in the contralateral dorsiflexors and knee flexors This pattern was interpreted as a stop walking synergy The opposite muscle activation pattern which was thought of as a resume walking synergy was induced when no hole was presented and actual foot contact occurred at the expected instant The latencies between the onsets of muscle responses and the expected heel contact were shorter under the IP condition than under the NP condition ipsilateral soleus NP 78 ± 13 ms IP 64 ± 14 ms contralateral biceps femoris NP 94 ± 25 ms IP 76 ± 17 ms Our results demonstrate that reactive muscle responses to perturbations depend on the anticipatory state with respect to potential perturbations
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