L13 - Coordination Flashcards
What is motor coordination?
Motor coordination refers to the ability to perform a motor task in an accurate, rapid, and controlled manner. It is characterized by appropriate speed, distance, direction, timing, and muscular tension.
What are the types of motor coordination?
- Fine Motor (e.g., intricate hand tasks)
- Gross Motor (e.g., walking, dancing)
- Hand-Eye Coordination (e.g., racket sports)
What factors may impact coordinated movement?
- Central Nervous System (e.g., cerebellum, motor/sensory functions)
- Peripheral Nervous System (motor and sensory pathways)
- Muscle strength and neuromuscular factors
- Proprioception and sensory systems (pain, touch, temperature)
- Vision, vestibular systems, and joint ROM
What is the role of the motor cortex in coordination?
The motor cortex plans and executes voluntary movement, stores motor programs for skilled movement, and adjusts movements based on feedback for motor learning and refinement.
What is the function of the thalamus in motor coordination?
The thalamus acts as a sensory relay center, communicating with the cerebrum, cerebellum, and basal ganglia. It is involved in memory, emotions, and pain.
What is the role of the basal ganglia in motor coordination?
The basal ganglia are involved in planning and controlling complex motor behavior, initiating movement, preventing unwanted movement, and regulating motor symptoms.
What are the main functions of the cerebellum in coordination?
The cerebellum is responsible for balance, proximal control, coordination, movement correction, and acts as a comparator to initiate corrective measures for accurate movement.
How do impairments in the cerebellum affect coordination?
If the cerebellum is damaged, it cannot process incoming sensory information properly, leading to uncoordinated movements and difficulty in refining motor tasks.
What are some pathologies that can affect coordination?
- Stroke (CVA)
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Parkinson’s Disease (PD)
- Dyspraxia
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Peripheral nerve injuries
- Hereditary ataxia (e.g., Friedrich’s ataxia)
What tests are used to assess coordination?
- Gait observation (wide BOS, staggered steps)
- Romberg’s test (assessing proprioception/vestibular function)
- Nystagmus test (rapid eye movements)
- Finger-to-nose and Heel-to-shin tests
How does impaired coordination commonly present?
- Wide base of support
- Leaning back while walking
- Unequal step lengths
- Poor facial muscle coordination (slurred speech)
- Nystagmus (eye flickering)
What is proprioception?
Proprioception is the awareness of the body in space, using joint position and motion sense to respond to changes in posture and movement.
What are the different types of proprioception?
- Joint Position Sense (perceiving joint angles)
- Kinaesthesia (awareness of body movement)
- Sense of Force (ability to match force levels)
- Sense of Change in Velocity (ability to detect vibration)
What are the key sensory receptors involved in proprioception?
- Muscle spindles (detect muscle length changes)
- Golgi tendon organs (detect muscle tension changes)
- Vestibular apparatus (senses head position)
- Vision (orients body to environment)
- Somatosensory receptors (detect pressure and tactile information)
Why is proprioception important?
- Injury prevention
- Motor control and coordination
- Balance and dexterity
- Adaptation to external stimuli
- Maintaining posture and stability