Static Stretching Reduces Motoneuron Excitability: The Potential Role of Neuromodulation
Gabriel S. Trajano, Anthony J. Blazevich
Abstract
Prolonged static muscle stretching transiently reduces maximal muscle force, and this force loss has a strong neural component. In this review, we discuss the evidence suggesting that stretching reduces the motoneuron's ability to amplify excitatory drive. We propose a hypothetical model in which stretching causes physiological relaxation, reducing the brainstem-derived neuromodulatory drive necessary to maximize motoneuron discharge rates.
Topics & Concepts
Excitatory postsynaptic potentialNeuromodulationNeuroscienceBrainstemChemistryBiologyInhibitory postsynaptic potentialStimulationMuscle activation and electromyography studiesTranscranial Magnetic Stimulation StudiesHeart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control