The relation between muscle oscillations and alternating movements.
The present article studies the influence of the muscle tension on the frequency of the muscle oscillations, using an accelerometer. During a weak isometric contraction, the frequency of the muscle oscillations was found to be 10 Hz, and during a maximum voluntary contraction 17 Hz. As a result of this study of the boundaries of the frequency of muscle oscillations, it has been possible to determine a relationship between involuntary muscle oscillations and voluntary alternating movements, and between muscle oscillations and FR motor units. In a previous article it was made plausible that muscle oscillations can be considered to be the primary source of physiological tremor. This article makes plausible that the contractions of the FR motor units can be considered to be the primary source of the muscle oscillations. The author has attempted to integrate these data about the muscle oscillations and alternating movements into the framework of muscle physiology.
Reitsma
W
W
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Leiden, The Netherlands.
D000818:Animals; D004548:Elasticity; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009129:Muscle Tonus / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009991:Oscillometry / Q000295:instrumentation; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation; D014202:Tremor / Q000503:physiopathology*