The present study was designed to determine the relative contribution of the gastrocnemius muscle to isometric plantar flexor torque production at varying knee angles, while investigating the activation of the gastrocnemius muscle at standardised non-optimal lengths. Voluntary plantar flexor torque, supramaximally stimulated twitch torque and myoelectric activity (EMG) from the triceps surae were measured at different knee angles. Surface and intra-muscular EMG were recorded from the soleus muscle and the medial and lateral heads of the gastrocnemius muscle in 10 male subjects. With the ankle angle held constant, knee angle was changed in steps of 30 degrees ranging from 180 degrees (extended) to 60 degrees (extreme flexion), while voluntary torque from a 5-s contraction was determined at 10 different levels of voluntary effort, ranging from 10% of maximal effort to maximal effort. To assess effort, supramaximal twitches were superimposed on all voluntary contractions, and additionally during rest. Maximal plantar flexor torque and resting twitch torque decreased significantly in a sigmoidal fashion with increasing knee flexion to 60% of the maximum torque at 180 degrees knee angle. For similar levels of voluntary effort, the EMG root mean square (RMS) of gastrocnemius was less with increased knee flexion, whereas soleus RMS remained unchanged. From these data, it is concluded that the contribution of gastrocnemius to plantar flexor torque is at least 40% of the total torque in the straight leg position. The decrease of gastrocnemius EMG RMS with decreasing muscle length may be brought about by a decrease in the number of fibres within the EMG electrode recording volume and/or impaired neuromuscular transmission.

1. This study was undertaken to examine changes of excitatory drive to the triceps surae a-motoneuron pool during fatiguing submaximal isometric contractions in man. Eight healthy subjects maintained isometric plantar flexions at 30% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) until the limit of endurance (range, 6-9 min and/or to increase MU firing rates. The facts that the twitch is not abolished at endurance limit and that the EMG does not attain its unfatigued MVC level are strong indications that central fatigue occurred during the sustained submaximal contraction.

Our purpose was to study central fatigue and its dependence on peripheral reflex inhibition during a sustained submaximal contraction of the triceps surae. In 11 healthy subjects, superimposed twitches, surface electromyograms (EMG) from the medial head of the gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus (SOL) muscles, maximal compound motor action potentials (M(max)), tracking error and tremor were recorded during sustained fatiguing contractions at a torque level corresponding to 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). When the endurance limit (401 +/- 91 s) of the voluntary contraction (VC-I) was reached, the triceps surae could be electrically stimulated to the same torque level for an additional 1 min in 10 of the 11 subjects. These subjects were then able to continue the contraction voluntarily (voluntary contraction II, VC-II) for another 85 +/- 48 s. At the endurance limit of VC-I, the superimposed twitch was larger than during the unfatigued MVC, while there was no significant difference between the twitch at the endurance limit of VC-II and MVC. The EMG amplitude of both MG and SOL at the endurance limit of VC-I was significantly less than that during the MVC. While the EMG amplitude of MG increased further during VC-II, SOL EMG remained unchanged, neither muscle reaching their unfatigued MVC values. This difference was diminished for SOL by taking into account its decrease in M(max) found during VC-II, and relative EMG levels approached their MVC values. These results clearly indicate that a higher voluntary muscle activation was achievable after 1 min of electrical muscle stimulation, which continued metabolic stress and contractile fatigue processes but allowed for supraspinal, muscle spindle and/or motoneuronal recovery. It is concluded that peripheral reflex inhibition of alpha-motoneurons via small-diameter muscle afferents is of minor significance for the development of the central fatigue that was found to occur during the first voluntary contraction.

Controversy exists regarding the function of psoas major (PM) and quadratus lumborum (QL) at the lumbar spine. The functions of discrete regions of PM and QL were studied during trunk loading tasks. Twelve healthy participants performed isometric trunk loading tasks in various directions in upright sitting. Fine-wire electromyography (EMG) electrodes were inserted under ultrasound guidance into PM fascicles arising from the transverse process (PM-t) and vertebral body (PM-v) and the anterior (QL-a) and posterior (QL-p) layers of QL on the right side. Although right PM-t and PM-v were both active during right lateral-flexion trunk efforts, their activity was opposite in the sagittal plane, with greater PM-t towards extension and PM-v towards flexion. QL-a and QL-p were similarly active, though QL-p was active to a greater percentage of MVC during right trunk lateral-flexion efforts. Activity of QLp was modulated with respiratory phase during the loading tasks with trunk efforts towards the right lateral-flexion/flexion and right lateral-flexion directions. These findings provide novel understanding of the unique activation of discrete regions of PM and QL. These differences must be considered in future EMG studies to better understand the function of these deeply situated trunk muscles in the control of the lumbar spine. ß

This study aimed to determine whether physical activity similar to daily living results in signs and sensations of fatigue in healthy old, balance-impaired old, and healthy young adults. Sensations of general tiredness, leg tiredness, knee-extension and hip-abduction strength, and temporospatial gait variables were measured before, immediately after, and up to 20 min after moderate-intensity physical activity. After activity, all groups reported increased levels of tiredness but showed no changes in strength. The balance-impaired had greater and more prolonged feelings of tiredness, with a mean increase before to immediately after activity of 3.6 on the visual analogue scale and no recovery at 16 min. The young and healthy old had an increase of 3 and 2.6, respectively, and had recovered before 16 min. In the balance-impaired group only, cadence slowed immediately after activity. It is proposed that these changes, in particular the prolonged feelings of tiredness, might limit daily activity.