A study of motor coordination and neuromuscular activities in human locomotion

By using a suitable experimental and mathematical procedure variables characterising motor coordination in human locomotion have been obtained for different subjects and correlations between them have been analysed.—1. The comparison between the EMG signals and the torques at joints point out the complex coordination of muscle activation with particular reference to the function of biarticular muscles.—1. The comparison between the EMG signals and the instantaneous length of the eleven muscles considered suggests a relevant influence of the reflex regulation from Ia afferents.—It appears that locomotion cannot be considered to be a completely stereotiped function. In fact, despite the similar kinematics, the torque time courses of different subjects present significant differences in agreement with different temporal sequence of muscle activation.

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