ESTONIAN ACADEMY
PUBLISHERS
eesti teaduste
akadeemia kirjastus
PUBLISHED
SINCE 1952
 
Proceeding cover
proceedings
of the estonian academy of sciences
ISSN 1736-7530 (Electronic)
ISSN 1736-6046 (Print)
Impact Factor (2022): 0.9
Gastrocnemius muscle tone, elasticity, and stiffness in association with postural control characteristics in young men; pp. 525–534
PDF | doi: 10.3176/proc.2015.4.07

Authors
Arved Vain, Tatjana Kums, Jaan Ereline, Mati Pääsuke, Helena Gapeyeva
Abstract

The association between muscle tone and postural sway characteristics during standing was investigated in 27 healthy men aged 17–31 years. Frequency of muscle oscillations as an indicator of the tone, logarithmic decrement of the dampening of muscle oscillations as an indicator of the elasticity, and stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle were measured bilaterally using a hand-held Myoton-3 device (Estonia). Postural sway of the centre of foot pressure during 30 s quiet bipedal standing was recorded using a Kistler force plate. As compared to the lying position, at standing on stable ground (SG) as well as on unstable ground (USG) (balance pad) the frequency of muscle oscillations was greater (162% and 166%, respectively) and so was stiffness (199% and 203%, respectively) but no significant differences for the logarithmic decrement of the dampening of muscle oscillations were noted. A greater coefficient of variation at standing on SG and USG as compared to the lying position for frequency of muscle oscillations (403% and 471%, respectively), for stiffness (177% and 187%, respectively), and for the logarithmic decrement of the dampening of muscle oscillations (120% and 122%, respectively) was found. Muscle tone and elasticity characteristics correlated positively with sway characteristics (radius and area of the centre of pressure) at USG standing. The change of posture from the supine to the standing position was accompanied by a marked increase in MG muscle tone and stiffness, but elasticity did not change. Coefficients of variation for the measured characteristics are suggested as new criteria for muscle function in relation to postural stability.

References

Akbari, M., Karimi, H., Farahini, H., and Faghihzadeh, S. 2006. Balance problems after unilateral ankle sprains. J. Rehabil. Res. Dev., 43, 819–824.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2006.01.0001

Alamäki, A., Häkkinen, A., Mälkiä, E., and Ylinen, Y. 2007. Muscle tone in different joint positions and at sub­maximal isometric torque levels. Physiol. Meas., 28, 793–802.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0967-3334/28/8/003

Aru, M., Alev, K., Gapeyeva, H., Vain, A., Puhke, R., Pehme, A., et al. 2013. Glucocorticoid-induced altera­tions in titin, nebulin, myosin heavy chain isoform content and viscoelastic properties of rat skeletal muscle. Adv. Biol. Chem., 3, 30–75.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/abc.2013.31009

Athanasiou, K. A. and Natoli, R. M. 2008. Introduction to Continuum Biomechanics. Synthesis Lectures on Bio­medical Engineering, 19. Morgan & Claypool Publishers, University of Connecticut.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2200/s00121ed1v01y200805bme019

Bizzini, M. and Mannion, A. F. 2003. Reliability of a new, hand-held device for assessing skeletal muscle stiff­ness. Clin. Biomech., 18, 459–461.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0268-0033(03)00042-1

Clemmesen, S. 1951. Some studies on muscle tone. Proc. Roy. Soc. Med., 44, 637–646.

Davidoff, R. A. 1992. Skeletal muscle tone and the mis­understood stretch reflex. Neurology, 42, 951–963.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/WNL.42.5.951

Ditroilo, M., Hunter, A. M., Haslam, S., and De Vito, G. 2011. The effectiveness of two novel techniques in establish­ing the mechanical and contractile responses of biceps femoris. Physiol. Meas., 32, 1315–1326.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0967-3334/32/8/020

Filingeri, D., Bianco, A., Zangla, D., Paoli, A., and Palma, A. 2012. Is karate effective in improving postural control? Arch. Budo, 8, 203–306.
http://dx.doi.org/10.12659/AOB.883521

Franzén, E., Paquette, C., Gurfinkel, V., and Horak, F. 2012. Light and heavy touch reduces postural sway and modifies axial tone in Parkinson’s disease. Neuro­rehabil. Neurol. Repair., 26, 1007–1014.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1545968312437942

Fung, Y. C. 1981. Biomechanics. Mechanical Properties of Living Tissues. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

Gapeyeva, H. and Vain, A. 2008. Principles of Applying Myoton in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Müo­meetria Ltd.

Gapeyeva, H., Karpova, J., Aidla, M., Ereline, J., Kums, T., Pääsuke, M., and Vain, A. 2005. Characteristics of muscle tone, elasticity and stiffness of lower extremities in young ballet dancers in the context of ankle injury prevention. In Proceedings of the 3rd World Congress of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM) (Battistella, L. R. and Imamura, M., eds), pp. 555–559. Monduzzi Editore, Bologna.

Gavronski, G., Veraksitš, A., Vasar, E., and Maaroos, J. 2007. Evaluation of viscoelastic parameters of the skeletal muscles in junior triathletes. Physiol. Meas., 28, 625–637.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0967-3334/28/6/002

Gubler-Hanna, C., Laskin, J., Marx, B. J., and Leonard, C. T. 2007. Construct validity of myotonometric measure­ments of muscle compliance as a measure of strength. Physiol. Meas., 28, 913–924.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0967-3334/28/8/013

Guillou, E., Dupui, P., and Golomer, E. 2007. Dynamic balance sensory motor control and symmetrical or asymmetrical equilibrium training. Clin. Neuro­physiol., 118, 317–324.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2006.10.001

Gurfinkel, V. S., Cacciatore, T. W., Cordo, P. J., and Horak, F. B. 2011. Method to measure tone of axial and proximal muscle. J. Vis. Exp., No. 58, e3677.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3791/3677

Guyton, A. C. and Hall, J. E. 2006. Textbook of Medical Physiology. 11th rev. ed. Elsevier, Philadelphia.

Hahn, T., Foldspang, A., Vestergaard, E., and Ingemann-Hansen, T. 1999. One-leg standing balance and sports activity. Scand. J. Med. Sci. Spor., 9, 15–18.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.1999.tb00201.x

Hein, V. and Vain, A. 1998. Joint mobility and the oscillation characteristics of muscle. Scand. J. Med. Sci. Spor., 8, 7–13.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.1998.tb00222.x

Korhonen, R. K., Vain, A., Vanninen, E., Viir, R., and Jurve­lin, J. S. 2005. Can mechanical myotonometry or electro­myography be used for the prediction of intra­muscular pressure? Physiol. Meas., 26, 1–13.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0967-3334/26/6/006

Lejeune, T. M., Willems, P. A., and Heglund, N. C. 1998. Mechanics and energetics of human locomotion on sand. J.  Exp. Biol., 201(Pt 13), 2071–2080.

Magid, A. and Law, D. J. 1985. Myofibrils bear most of the resting tension in frog skeletal muscle. Science, 230(4731), 1280–1282.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.4071053

Maruyama, K., Kimura, S., Ohashi, K., and Kuwano, Y. 1981. Connectin, an elastic protein of muscle. Identification of “titin” with connectin. J. Biochem., 89(3), 701–709.

Masi, A. T. and Hannon, J. C. 2008. Human resting muscle tone (HMRT): narrative introduction and modern concepts. J. Bodyw. Mov. Ther., 12, 320–332.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2008.05.007

Massion, J. and Woollacott, M. H. 2004. Posture and equilibrium. In Clinical Disorders of Balance, Posture and Gait. 2nd ed. (Bronstein, A. M., Brandt, T., Woollacott, M., and Nutt, J. G., eds), pp. 1–19. Arnold Ltd., London.

Merkert, J., Butz, S., Nieczaj, R., Steinhagen-Thiessen, E., and Eckardt, R. 2011. Combined whole body vibration and balance training using Vibrosphere®: improvement of trunk stability, muscle tone, and postural control in stroke patients during early geriatric rehabilitation. Z. Gerontol. Geriatr., 44, 256–261.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00391-011-0170-9

Murayama, M., Watanabe, K., Kato, R., Uchiyama, T., and Yoneda, T. 2012. Association of muscle hardness with muscle tension dynamics: a physiological property. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol., 112(1), 105–112.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-1959-3

Nave, R. 1990. Titin – die Elastische Komponente des Quergestreiften Muskels: Korrelation zwischen dem isolierten Molekul und seiner Lokalisation im Sarkomer. PhD. Dissertation. Hannover.

Olorunschola, K. V. and Achie, L. N. 2011. Caffeine alters skeletal muscle contraction by opening of calcium ion channels. Curr. Res. J. Biol. Sci., 3, 521–525.

Perrin, P., Deviterne, D., Hugel, F., and Perrot, C. 2002. Judo, better than dance, develops sensorimotor adaptabilities involved in balance control. Gait Posture, 15, 187–194.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0966-6362(01)00149-7

Peterka, R. J. 2002. Sensorimotor integration in human postural control. J. Neurophysiol., 88, 1097–1118.

Remington, J. W. 1955. Tissue Elasticity. New Hampshire.

Rubini, A., Paoli, A., and Parmagnani, A. 2012. Body meta­bolic rate and electromyographic activities of anti­gravitational muscles in supine and standing postures. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol., 112(6), 2045–2050.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-2180-0

Saenko, D. G., Artamonov, A. A., and Kozlovskaia, I. B. 2011. Characteristics of postural corrective responses before and after long-term spaceflight. Fiziol. Cheloveka, 37, 91–99 (in Russian).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1134/s0362119711050197

Tarnopolsky, M. A. 2008. Effect of caffeine on the neuro­muscular system – potential as an ergogenic aid. Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab., 33, 1284–1289.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/H08-121

Tikkanen, O., Haakana, P., Pesola, A. J., Häkkinen, K., Ranta­lainen, T., Havu, M., et al. 2013 Muscle activity and inactivity periods during normal daily life. PLoS One, 8, e52228.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0052228

Tokuno, C. D., Carpenter, M. G., Thorstensson, A., Gar­land, S. J., and Cresswell, A. G. 2007. Control of the triceps surae during the postural sway of quiet standing. Acta. Physiol. (Oxford), 191, 229–236.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1716.2007.01727.x

Vain, A. 1995. Estimation of the functional state of skeletal muscle. In Control of Ambulation Using Functional Neuromuscular Stimulation (Veltink, P. H. and Boom, H. B. K., eds), pp. 51–55. University of Twente Press, Enschede.

Vain, A. 2002. Role of skeletal muscle tone and elasticity in the workability restoration of male cross-country skiers. Acta Academiae Olympique Estoniae, 10, 95–108.

Vain, A. 2006. The phenomenon of mechanical stress trans­mission in skeletal muscles. Acta Academiae Olympiquae Estoniae, 14, 38–48.

Vando, S., Filingeri, D., Maurino, L., Chaabène, H., Bianco, A., Salernitano, G., et al. 2013. Postural adapta­tions in preadolescent karate athletes due to a one week karate training camp. J. Hum. Kinet., 38, 45–52. (eCollection 2013.)

Veldi, M., Vasar, V., Vain, A., Hion, T., and Kull, M. 2000. Computerized endopharyngeal myotonometry (CEM): a new method to evaluate the tissue tone of the soft palate in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. J. Sleep Res., 9, 279–284.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2869.2000.00208.x

Viir, R., Laiho, K., Kramarenko, J., and Mikkelsson, M. 2006a. Repeatability of trapezius muscle tone assess­ment by a myometric method. J. Mech. Med. Biol., 6, 215–228.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S0219519406001856

Viir, R., Vain, A., Virkus, A., Rajaleid, K., and Selart, A. 2006b. Skeletal muscle tone characteristics in upright, supine and partial water immersion conditions. In Proceedings of the 57th International Astronautical Congress, Valencia, 1, 132–141.

 

Back to Issue