TY - JOUR
T1 - Responsiveness of the H reflex to loading and posture in patients following stroke
AU - Hwang, Ing Shiou
AU - Lin, Chih Feng
AU - Tung, Li Chen
AU - Wang, Chun Hou
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was partly supported by a grant from the National Science Council, R.O.C. Taiwan, under grant no. NSC 90-2314-B006-142. The authors are also grateful to Jin-Fu Kuo, Wen-Yi Huang and Yen-Ting Chen for their assistance in data collection.
PY - 2004/12
Y1 - 2004/12
N2 - The objective of the research was to examine the effects of loading and posture on motoneuronal excitability of the triceps surae (TS) for patients with hemiplegia. Twelve healthy subjects and 12 patient subjects with post-stroke hemiparesis (onset period: 3-60 months) were enrolled in this study. The subjects were instructed to remain in quiet sitting with the test knee straight and three standing conditions of different superincumbent loads by shifting body weight to the test leg (10%, 50%, and 90% of body weight), while the H reflexes and M waves of the TS were measured. The results clearly indicated that H reflex amplitudes were not affected by different loading conditions in standing for both healthy subjects and patients who had a previous stroke. In addition, the H reflex amplitude in quiet standing for healthy subjects was significantly downward modulated relative to that in relaxed sitting with the test knee straight, but this posturally driven modulation was impaired in patients following stroke. Current electrophysiological findings imply that body weight as a means for rehabilitation facilitation had little immediate effect on paretic TS, and absence in postural gating of reflex excitability appeared to be an incentive for postural instability resulting from post-stroke hemiparesis.
AB - The objective of the research was to examine the effects of loading and posture on motoneuronal excitability of the triceps surae (TS) for patients with hemiplegia. Twelve healthy subjects and 12 patient subjects with post-stroke hemiparesis (onset period: 3-60 months) were enrolled in this study. The subjects were instructed to remain in quiet sitting with the test knee straight and three standing conditions of different superincumbent loads by shifting body weight to the test leg (10%, 50%, and 90% of body weight), while the H reflexes and M waves of the TS were measured. The results clearly indicated that H reflex amplitudes were not affected by different loading conditions in standing for both healthy subjects and patients who had a previous stroke. In addition, the H reflex amplitude in quiet standing for healthy subjects was significantly downward modulated relative to that in relaxed sitting with the test knee straight, but this posturally driven modulation was impaired in patients following stroke. Current electrophysiological findings imply that body weight as a means for rehabilitation facilitation had little immediate effect on paretic TS, and absence in postural gating of reflex excitability appeared to be an incentive for postural instability resulting from post-stroke hemiparesis.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jelekin.2004.01.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jelekin.2004.01.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 15491840
AN - SCOPUS:5644246547
SN - 1050-6411
VL - 14
SP - 653
EP - 659
JO - Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology
JF - Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology
IS - 6
ER -