Effects of training procedures and target positions on lower arm movements

Abstract

The aim of a series of experiments, which included three groups of six blindfolded subjects, 19-23 years of age, was to find out effects of different ways of training on some spaciotemporal aspects of different movements by lower arms. The subjects were trained to make 20, 40,60, 80 degree movements on a kinaesthesiometer. The direction of movements was ventral-lateral and lateral- ventral in the relation to the body. One of the groups was trained first by dominant arm, and then non-dominant, while the second group had the opposite sequences of training. The third group, however, was trained bibrachially. After the training, the three groups took part in a series of arm movement experiments, where the task time (TT), movement time (MT) and the deviation from lite target (error) were recorded for the two arms separately, as well as bibrachially. The smallest deviations from the target were obtained in all the situations, when the target was positioned more ventrally, regardless of the amplitude or the direction of the movements. This was attributed to a higher differential sensitivity of the proprioceptors affected by the ventral movements in comparisi on to those affected by the lateral movements.