Passive and active lower-limb movements delay upper-limb balance reactions

Neuroreport. 2001 Sep 17;12(13):2821-5. doi: 10.1097/00001756-200109170-00014.

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of rhythmic lower-limb activity on the timing of upper-limb balance reactions. Compensatory grasping reactions were evoked in healthy subjects by rapid sagittal tilts of a chair under three conditions: (1) active leg pedaling, (2) passive (motor-driven) leg pedaling, and (3) no lower-limb movement (control task). Compared with control trials, both active and passive pedaling resulted in similar delays in the initiation (43-47 ms) and execution (12-17 ms) of grasping reactions. The similarity between effects due to active and passive movement suggests that the conditioning arose predominantly from sensory discharge associated with lower-limb movement. These results may have important implications for understanding the influence of locomotion or other ongoing movement on the control of stability.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Afferent Pathways / physiology
  • Arm / innervation
  • Arm / physiology*
  • Central Nervous System / physiology*
  • Feedback / physiology
  • Female
  • Gait / physiology*
  • H-Reflex / physiology
  • Hand Strength / physiology
  • Humans
  • Leg / innervation
  • Leg / physiology*
  • Locomotion / physiology
  • Male
  • Muscle Contraction / physiology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / innervation
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiology
  • Neural Conduction / physiology
  • Neural Inhibition / physiology
  • Periodicity*
  • Postural Balance / physiology*
  • Proprioception / physiology
  • Reaction Time / physiology*