Back
pdf
Journal article

The effect of whole body vibration on the H-reflex, the stretch reflex, and the short-latency response during hopping

  • Ritzmann, R. Institute of Sport and Sport Science, University of Freiburg, Germany
  • Kramer, A. Institute of Sport and Sport Science, University of Freiburg, Germany
  • Gollhofer, Albert Institute of Sport and Sport Science, University of Freiburg, Germany
  • Taube, Wolfgang Department of Medicine, Movement and Sport Science, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Show more…
    13.09.2011
Published in:
  • Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. - 2013, vol. 23, no. 3, p. 331-339
electromyography
EMG
stretch-shortening cycle
peripheral nerve stimulation
training
English The effect of whole body vibration (WBV) on reflex responses is controversially discussed in the literature. In this study, three different modalities of reflex activation with increased motor complexity have been selected to clarify the effects of acute WBV on reflex activation: (1) the electrically evoked H-reflex, (2) the mechanically elicited stretch reflex, and (3) the short-latency response (SLR) during hopping. WBV- induced changes of the H-reflex, the stretch reflex, and the SLR during hopping were recorded in the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles and were analyzed before, during (only the H-reflex), immediately after, 5 min and 10 min after WBV. The main findings were that (1) the H-reflexes were significantly reduced during and at least up to 5 min after WBV, (2) the stretch reflex amplitudes were also significantly reduced immediately after WBV but recovered to their initial amplitudes within 5 min, and (3) the SLR during hopping showed no vibration-induced modulation. With regard to the modalities with low motor complexities, the decreased H- and stretch reflex responses are assumed to point toward a reduced Ia afferent transmission during and after WBV. However, it is assumed that during hopping, the suppression of reflex sensitivity is compensated by facilitatory mechanisms in this complex motor task.
Faculty
Faculté des sciences et de médecine
Department
Département de Médecine
Language
  • English
Classification
Sports sciences
License
License undefined
Identifiers
Persistent URL
https://folia.unifr.ch/unifr/documents/302245
Statistics
Document views: 43 File downloads:
  • tau_ewb.pdf: 81