Neuromuscular physiology

Question 1

What is neuromuscular physiology?

Answer 1

Motor control is a complex process that involves the brain, muscles, limbs, and often external objects. It underlies motion, balance, stability, coordination, and our interaction with others and technology

Question 2

Neuromuscular receptors

Answer 2

Peripheral recepters located in the muscle, tendon and fascia relay afferent (sensory) information to the CNS. The type of receptor relays either constant or instantaneous information to the brain for analysis

Question 3

What are the 4 types of receptors in muscles?

Answer 3

Muscle spindles - lie in parallel to the muscle fibres, detect changes and rate of change in length

Golgi tendon organs - lie in series to the muscle within the MTJ, detect change in tension

Ruffini receptors - lie within the superior dermis, moniter joint position, angular velocity and intra-articular pressure via cutaneous tension

Pacinian corpuscles - lie within the inferior dermis, detect joint movement and acceleration

Question 4

Inhibition following injury?

Answer 4

• Fear
• Gross muscle spasm
• Pain
• Local muscle inhibition
• Swelling/haematoma
• Diminished local control, and stability of joints following injury
• Delayed contraction of muscular stabilisers in presence of pain
• Increased load on larger muscles/muscle groups = increased rate of fatigue
• Increased fatigue = increased risk of injury

Question 5

Normal conditions

Answer 5

Local and global muscle control
Good motor skill
Normal sensory output

Question 6

Injury conditions

Answer 6

Increased global contraction = spasm
Reduced local muscle contraction = reduced stability
Increased pressure sensation from swelling = increased pain
Inhibition of neural output = possible P&N/numbness, but reduced neural control