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Int J Sports Med 2024; 45(02): 125-133
DOI: 10.1055/a-2197-0967
Training & Testing

Neural Adjustments during Repeated Braking and Throttle Actions on a Motorcycle Setup

Michel Marina
1   Research Group in Physical Activity and Health (GRAFAiS), Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC) – Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
,
Priscila Torrado
1   Research Group in Physical Activity and Health (GRAFAiS), Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC) – Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
,
Jacques Duchateau
2   Laboratory of Applied Biology, Research Unit in Applied Neurophysiology (LABNeuro), ULB Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
,
Stephane Baudry
2   Laboratory of Applied Biology, Research Unit in Applied Neurophysiology (LABNeuro), ULB Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
› Author Affiliations Fundings This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and the European Funds for Regional Development under Grant [DEP2015–70701-P (MINECO/FEDER)], https://www.aei.gob.es/ayudas-concedidas/buscador-ayudas-concedidas by the Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC) de la Generalitat de Catalunya – Universitat de Barcelona (UB), and by the Research Group in Physical Activity and Health (GRAFAiS, Generalitat de Catalunya 2021SGR/01190). We are grateful to MONLAU Competició.
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Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess neuromuscular changes during an intermittent fatiguing task designed to replicate fundamental actions and ergonomics of road race motorcycling. Twenty-eight participants repeated a sequence of submaximal brake-pulling and gas throttle actions, interspaced by one maximal brake-pulling, until failure. During the submaximal brake-pulling actions performed at 30% MVC, force fluctuations, surface EMG, maximal M-wave (Mmax) and H-reflex were measured in the flexor digitorum superficialis. At the end of the task, the MVC force and associated EMG activity decreased (P<0.001) by 46% and 26%, respectively. During the task, force fluctuation and EMG activity increased gradually (106% and 61%, respectively) with respect to the pre-fatigue state (P≤0.029). The Mmax first phase did not change (P≥0.524), whereas the H-reflex amplitude, normalized to Mmax, increased (149%; P≤0.039). Noteworthy, the relative increase in H-reflex amplitude was correlated with the increase in EMG activity during the task (r=0.63; P<0.001). During the 10-min recovery, MVC force and EMG activity remained depressed (P≤0.05) whereas H-reflex amplitude and force fluctuation returned to pre-fatigue values. In conclusion, contrarily to other studies, our results bring forward that when mimicking motorcycling brake-pulling and gas throttle actions, supraspinal neural mechanisms primarily limit the duration of the performance.

Key word

power grip - forearm muscles - Hoffmann reflex - EMG activity - M-wave

Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 08 May 2023

Accepted: 12 October 2023

Article published online:
14 December 2023

© 2023. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag
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