ISSN:
1432-1106
Keywords:
Electromyography
;
Posture
;
Multijoint
;
Arm movements
;
Human
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Reaching movements are associated with widespread, nonfocal muscle activity. That activity is often assumed to play a postural role. We tested this assumption for the trunk muscles at the initiation of reaching movements with the following question. Does initial trunk muscle activity play a dynamic postural role by resisting the segmental interactive effects of the arm movement on the trunk? Seated subjects performed bilateral reaching movements while target direction was systematically varied. Muscle activity was recorded from flexors and extensors of the trunk and shoulder. Trunk muscle activity was compared with trunk torques calculated from simulations of reaching movements in which the trunk was modeled to stay still. Recorded trunk muscle activity was in qualitative agreement with torque predictions for only some target directions, suggesting that the nervous system does not activate trunk muscles across all target directions to counteract postural disturbances at the initiation of reaching movements.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00228020
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