Influence of Trunk Extensor Muscles Fatigue on the Postural Control and Sensorimotor Integration

José Dos Santos Rocha,Uanderson Pirôpo,Ana Argolo,Cezar Casotti,Rafael Da Silva Passos,Helder Andrade,Alice Dos Santos,David Couto,Rafael Pereira

doi:10.3390/jfmk2010005

José Dos Santos Rocha, Uanderson Pirôpo + Show 7 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk2010005

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Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of trunk extensor muscles fatigue, through a submaximum and time-limited isometric task, on the postural control and sensorimotor integration of young healthy adults. Previously and after a submaximum and time-limited isometric fatigue protocol of trunk extension muscles, 30 s stabilometric recordings were taken in both conditions: eyes opened and closed. The center of pressure (CoP) displacement in the anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions, as well as the total displacement (TD) of CoP were analyzed from the recordings with both conditions (eyes opened and closed) and moments (PRE and POST fatigue protocol). Additionally, the Romberg Index was calculated for CoP displacement in the AP and ML directions, as well as for TD PRE and POST fatigue protocol. Significant differences between the studied parameters of pre- and post-fatigue protocol were not observed. The applied fatigue protocol was not able to modify the postural control, as well as the capacity of integrating sensorial information in the absence of vision, of young healthy subjects. These results indicate that proprioceptive information remains reliable after the used fatigue protocol, allowing subjects to keep a satisfactory straight posture.

Highlights

Postural control involves the maintenance of balance and body orientation during straight posture, which is essential to many daily life activities and to physical and sports practices [1].Balance maintenance depends on sensorimotor integration, involving the sensorial input coming from the skin, joint and muscle receptors, as well as from the vestibular and visual receptors, to the central nervous system, where this afferent information is integrated to generate an adequate motor response [2]
This study aimed to investigate the influence of postural muscles fatigue, induced by a submaximal isometric and time-limited task, on the postural control of healthy subjects, and our results suggest that the applied fatigue protocol was not able to modify the postural control of young healthy individuals or the capacity to integrate sensorial information, since the absence of vision did not impair the stabilometric parameters
Paillard [20] confirmed that fatigue protocols carried out at submaximum intensity can lead to postural control impairments only if sustained for long periods, such as in exhaustion-limited protocols, which, in turn, could be independent of the involved muscle groups

Summary

Introduction

Balance maintenance depends on sensorimotor integration, involving the sensorial input coming from the skin, joint and muscle receptors (e.g., proprioceptors), as well as from the vestibular and visual receptors, to the central nervous system, where this afferent information is integrated to generate an adequate motor response [2] Temporary modifications, such as a simple change or removal of one of the sensorial systems (e.g., closing eyes, standing on an unstable surface, or muscle fatigue), or permanent modifications as observed in blindness, sensorial nerve injuries, the aging process [3], and joint and/or muscle injuries, may compromise the postural stability. It is plausible to use the stabilometric analysis to investigate the effect of conditions that modify sensorimotor integration [6]

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