Effect of repetitive passive movement in the visual kinaesthetic
illusion on spinal excitability
Abstract
Repetitive passive movement (RPM) is an intervention that alters brain
activity and spinal cord function based on reciprocal inhibition
enhancement. However, if joint motion is inhibited, RPM with effective
kinetic parameters may not be available to the patient. Thus, for its
clinical application, it is necessary to provide intervention in
patients who are unable to perform real movements because of factors
that inhibit joint movement. Therefore, the present study aimed to
investigate the effects of RPM without real movement on spinal
excitability, using a visual kinaesthetic illusion. Participants
included 17 healthy adults (10 men and 7 women). Measurements were
acquired before the intervention (PRE), during, immediately thereafter
(POST). Two intervention conditions were used: a control condition and
an illusory condition. The analysis items were F waves, used to measure
spinal cord excitability, their persistence and the F/M amplitude ratios
obtained from surface electromyograms applied to the tibialis anterior
(TA) and soleus (Sol) muscles. In the illusory condition, the F/M
amplitude ratio of the TA significantly increased during the
intervention (p < 0.05) and the F-wave persistence of the Sol
significantly decreased from intervention to POST (p < 0.05).
The present study suggests that through a visual kinaesthetic illusion,
RPM without real movement could increase spinal excitability in the TA,
whereas reciprocal inhibition may decrease spinal excitability in the
Sol.