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Reciprocal inhibition describes the relaxation of muscles on one side of a joint to accommodate contraction on the other side. In some allied health disciplines, this is known as reflexive antagonism. The central nervous system sends a message to the agonist muscle to contract. The tension in the antagonist muscle is activated by impulses from motor neurons, causing it to relax.[1]
Joints are controlled by two opposing sets of muscles called extensors and flexors, that work in synchrony for smooth movement. When a muscle spindle is stretched, the stretch reflex is activated, and the opposing muscle group must be inhibited to prevent it from working against the contraction of the homonymous muscle. This inhibition is accomplished by the actions of an inhibitor interneuron in the spinal cord.
The afferent of the muscle spindle bifurcates in the spinal cord. One branch innervates the alpha motor neuron that causes the homonymous muscle to contract, producing the reflex. The other branch innervates the inhibitory interneuron, which then innervates the alpha motor neuron that synapses onto the opposing muscle. Because the interneuron is inhibitory, it prevents the opposing alpha motor neuron from firing, thereby reducing the contraction of the opposing muscle. Without this reciprocal inhibition, both groups of muscles might contract simultaneously and work against each other.
If opposing muscles were to contract at the same time, a muscle tear can occur. This may occur during physical activities such as running, during which opposing muscles engage and disengage sequentially to produce coordinated movement. Reciprocal inhibition facilitates ease of movement and is a safeguard against injury. However, if a "misfiring" of motor neurons occurs, causing simultaneous contraction of opposing muscles, a tear can occur. For example, if the quadriceps femoris and hamstring contract simultaneously at a high intensity, the stronger muscle (traditionally the quadriceps) overpowers the weaker muscle group (hamstrings). This can result in a common muscular injury known as a pulled hamstring, more accurately called a muscle strain.
The phenomenon is fleeting, incomplete, and weak. For example, when the triceps brachii is stimulated, the biceps is reflexively inhibited. The incompleteness of the effect is related to postural and functional tone. Also, some reflexes in vivo are polysynaptic, with entire muscle groups responding to noxious stimuli.
Reciprocal inhibition is the basic original notion behind indirect muscle energy techniques. While this notion is now understood to be incomplete, the clinical mechanism of reflexive antagonism continues to be useful in physical therapy.
Muscle energy techniques that use reflexive antagonism, such as rapid deafferentation techniques, are medical guideline techniques and protocols that make use of reflexive pathways and reciprocal inhibition as a means of switching off inflammation, pain, and protective spasm for entire synergistic muscle groups or singular muscles and soft tissue structures.
References
^Carlin, Eleanor J. (1964-11-01). "Massage: Principles and Techniques". Physical Therapy. 44 (11): 161. doi:10.1093/ptj/44.11.1048. ISSN 0031-9023.
Further reading
1. Fryer G 2000 Muscle Energy Concepts –A Need for a Change. Journal of Osteopathic Medicine. 3(2): 54 – 59
Fryer G 2006 MET: Efficacy & Research IN: Chaitow L (Ed) Muscle Energy Techniques (3rd edition) Elsevier, Edinburgh
Ruddy T 1961 Osteopathic rhythmic resistive duction therapy. Yearbook of Academy of Applied Osteopathy 1961, Indianapolis, p 58
Solomonow M 2009 Ligaments: A source of musculoskeletal disorders. J Bodywork & Movement Therapies 13(2): IN PRESS
Smith, M., Fryer, G. 2008 A comparison of two muscle energy techniques for increasing flexibility of the hamstring muscle group Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 12 (4), pp. 312–317
Hamilton, L., Boswell, C., Fryer, G. 2007 The effects of high-velocity, low-amplitude manipulation and muscle energy technique on suboccipital tenderness International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine 10 (2-3), pp. 42–49
McFarland, J.M. 2008 The endocannabinoid system: An osteopathic perspective Journal of the American Osteopathic Association 108 (10), pp. 586–600
Magnusson M Simonsen E Aagaard P et al. 1996a Mechanical and physiological responses to lengthening with and without pre-isometric contraction in human skeletal muscle Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation 77:373-377
Magnusson M Simonsen E Aagaard P et al. 1996b A mechanism for altered flexibility in human skeletal muscle. Journal of Physiology 497(Part 1):293-298
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For other uses see Antagonism This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations October 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources Reciprocal inhibition news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Reciprocal inhibition describes the relaxation of muscles on one side of a joint to accommodate contraction on the other side In some allied health disciplines this is known as reflexive antagonism The central nervous system sends a message to the agonist muscle to contract The tension in the antagonist muscle is activated by impulses from motor neurons causing it to relax 1 Contents 1 Mechanics 2 Duration 3 Application in physical therapy 4 References 5 Further reading 6 BibliographyMechanics EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed December 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Joints are controlled by two opposing sets of muscles called extensors and flexors that work in synchrony for smooth movement When a muscle spindle is stretched the stretch reflex is activated and the opposing muscle group must be inhibited to prevent it from working against the contraction of the homonymous muscle This inhibition is accomplished by the actions of an inhibitor interneuron in the spinal cord The afferent of the muscle spindle bifurcates in the spinal cord One branch innervates the alpha motor neuron that causes the homonymous muscle to contract producing the reflex The other branch innervates the inhibitory interneuron which then innervates the alpha motor neuron that synapses onto the opposing muscle Because the interneuron is inhibitory it prevents the opposing alpha motor neuron from firing thereby reducing the contraction of the opposing muscle Without this reciprocal inhibition both groups of muscles might contract simultaneously and work against each other If opposing muscles were to contract at the same time a muscle tear can occur This may occur during physical activities such as running during which opposing muscles engage and disengage sequentially to produce coordinated movement Reciprocal inhibition facilitates ease of movement and is a safeguard against injury However if a misfiring of motor neurons occurs causing simultaneous contraction of opposing muscles a tear can occur For example if the quadriceps femoris and hamstring contract simultaneously at a high intensity the stronger muscle traditionally the quadriceps overpowers the weaker muscle group hamstrings This can result in a common muscular injury known as a pulled hamstring more accurately called a muscle strain Duration EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed December 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message The phenomenon is fleeting incomplete and weak For example when the triceps brachii is stimulated the biceps is reflexively inhibited The incompleteness of the effect is related to postural and functional tone Also some reflexes in vivo are polysynaptic with entire muscle groups responding to noxious stimuli Application in physical therapy EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed December 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Reciprocal inhibition is the basic original notion behind indirect muscle energy techniques While this notion is now understood to be incomplete the clinical mechanism of reflexive antagonism continues to be useful in physical therapy Muscle energy techniques that use reflexive antagonism such as rapid deafferentation techniques are medical guideline techniques and protocols that make use of reflexive pathways and reciprocal inhibition as a means of switching off inflammation pain and protective spasm for entire synergistic muscle groups or singular muscles and soft tissue structures References Edit Carlin Eleanor J 1964 11 01 Massage Principles and Techniques Physical Therapy 44 11 161 doi 10 1093 ptj 44 11 1048 ISSN 0031 9023 Further reading Edit1 Fryer G 2000 Muscle Energy Concepts A Need for a Change Journal of Osteopathic Medicine 3 2 54 59 Fryer G 2006 MET Efficacy amp Research IN Chaitow L Ed Muscle Energy Techniques 3rd edition Elsevier Edinburgh Ruddy T 1961 Osteopathic rhythmic resistive duction therapy Yearbook of Academy of Applied Osteopathy 1961 Indianapolis p 58 Solomonow M 2009 Ligaments A source of musculoskeletal disorders J Bodywork amp Movement Therapies 13 2 IN PRESS Smith M Fryer G 2008 A comparison of two muscle energy techniques for increasing flexibility of the hamstring muscle group Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 12 4 pp 312 317 McPartland J M 2004 Travel trigger points Molecular and osteopathic perspectives Journal of the American Osteopathic Association 104 6 pp 244 249 Hamilton L Boswell C Fryer G 2007 The effects of high velocity low amplitude manipulation and muscle energy technique on suboccipital tenderness International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine 10 2 3 pp 42 49 McFarland J M 2008 The endocannabinoid system An osteopathic perspective Journal of the American Osteopathic Association 108 10 pp 586 600 Magnusson M Simonsen E Aagaard P et al 1996a Mechanical and physiological responses to lengthening with and without pre isometric contraction in human skeletal muscle Archives of Physical Medicine amp Rehabilitation 77 373 377 Magnusson M Simonsen E Aagaard P et al 1996b A mechanism for altered flexibility in human skeletal muscle Journal of Physiology 497 Part 1 293 298 Anatomical terms of muscleBibliography EditCrone C 1993 Reciprocal inhibition in man Dan Med Bull 40 5 571 81 PMID 8299401 Neuroscience Online Chapter 2 Spinal Reflexes and Descending Motor Pathways James Knierim Ph D Department of Neuroscience The Johns Hopkins University http nba uth tmc edu neuroscience s3 chapter02 html Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Reciprocal inhibition amp oldid 1143101945, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
