Alteration of muscle synergy structure while walking under increased postural constraints. Issue 2 (19th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Singh, Rajat Emanuel; White, Gannon; Delis, Ioannis; Iqbal, Kamran
• Is Part Of: Cognitive computation and systems. Volume 2:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 50
• Page End: 56
• Publication Date: 2020-05-19
• Subjects: medical signal processing -- electromyography -- neurophysiology -- muscle -- biomechanics -- gait analysis; higher activation -- slacklining -- overground walking -- lower leg muscles -- muscle synergy structure -- increased postural constraints -- specific groups -- muscles aka muscle synergies -- central nervous system -- motor control -- human locomotion -- postural stability -- specific muscle co‐activations -- postural perturbations -- slackline -- myoelectric activity -- shared MSs structure -- adaptive neuromuscular strategies; Cognitive science -- Periodicals; Artificial intelligence -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Computer science -- Periodicals; Neurosciences; Computer science; Cognitive science; Artificial intelligence; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 006.3
• DOI: 10.1049/ccs.2019.0021
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2517-7567

Abstract

Abstract : It is hypothesised that specific groups of muscles aka muscle synergies (MSs) are combined by the central nervous system to control a wide repertoire of movements and also simplify motor control. Therefore, studying MSs during human locomotion is of significance, as it may reveal neuromuscular strategies for postural stability. In this study, the authors aimed to use the hypothesis of MSs to identify specific muscle co‐activations during overground walking and slacklining where postural perturbations were generated by the participants rather than being externally controlled. Nine participants were asked to walk overground and on a slackline while they recorded myoelectric activity of their leg muscles. They extracted synergies from the electromyography signals in the two tasks using factor analysis. The results showed adaptation in the shared MSs structure during walking on the slackline and these shared MSs across participants were recruited flexibly to meet the demand for stability. The modulation of synergies suggests adaptive neuromuscular strategies for stability while walking on a slackline. Specifically, higher activation of quadriceps during slacklining suggests a crouched gait to facilitate balance. During overground walking, lower leg muscles revealed higher activation compared to slacklining to support a more consistent toe‐off during the stance phase.