Muscle Contracture In Multiple Sclerosis Prevalence And Rehabilitation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$175,583.00
Summary
A population-based study of prevalence of muscle contracture will provide helpful information to health providers about the magnitude of the problem of contracture. This information will focus research efforts, and help health care providers to allocate resources appropriately. Recent studies have found that current treatments for contracture often provide transient or no effects. This project will test a promising new direction in treatment of contracture in people with multiple sclerosis.
My primary research interest is in the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions. A second research interest is in the mechanical and architectural properties of human muscles and tendons.
Human Muscle Stretch Reflexes: The Effects Of Stimulus Properties, Muscle State And Subject Intention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$170,604.00
Summary
The best known muscle reflex is the tendon jerk, which is usually evoked by tapping the muscle tendon with a small hammer. This tap imposes a very rapid stretch on the muscle, which produces a stretch reflex. Different stretch responses, however, can be observed to slow or fast stretches, or to vibration of muscle. Normally, when the muscles of a relaxed person are stretched, no active response is observed. However, when the person is engaged in a task and contracting their muscles, then stretch ....The best known muscle reflex is the tendon jerk, which is usually evoked by tapping the muscle tendon with a small hammer. This tap imposes a very rapid stretch on the muscle, which produces a stretch reflex. Different stretch responses, however, can be observed to slow or fast stretches, or to vibration of muscle. Normally, when the muscles of a relaxed person are stretched, no active response is observed. However, when the person is engaged in a task and contracting their muscles, then stretch modulates the muscle activity such that an increase in contraction of the muscle opposes the stretch and defends the position of the joint against the external disturbance. This is the everyday situation in which stretch reflexes operate. Despite extensive investigation for over a hundred years, there is still no consensus among researchers about the behaviour of stretch reflexes nor about their role in the control of movement. Even the demarcation of reflex from voluntary muscle activity is not always certain. One of the outstanding features of stretch reflexes is the variability of their behaviour, which depends on the particular muscle involved, its level of contraction, the type of stretch and the task in which the person is engaged. This variability has made it difficult for researchers to determine the role of reflexes in the control of movement. In order to study stretch reflex behaviour in human subjects, we will measure the electrical activity of elbow muscles, the elbow position and the force generated at the joint under a variety of conditions. A series of five experiments will investigate specific unresolved issues such as the effect of subject intention on the modulation of muscle activity and how altered modulation of muscle activity may change the stiffness of our limbs. The objective of the experimental series is to fill in important gaps in the picture of the behaviour of the stretch reflex.Read moreRead less
What Is The Function Of The Tibialis Posterior Muscle And Tendon During Walking And How Does It Affect Disorders Of The Foot
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$110,235.00
Summary
The tibialis posterior (TP) muscle is important for foot function and is often implicated in foot and ankle problems. We will investigate the function of TP during gait with specific reference to foot posture. In particular we will examine the mechanical function of the muscle and tendon in different foot postures and commonly used treatment modalities such as (footwear and foot orthoses).
The Effects Of Tonic Muscle Pain On The Sympathetic And Somatic Motor Systems In Human Subjects
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$462,948.00
Summary
The main objective of this proposal is to reveal the effects of nociceptive reflexes in humans, and thus identify their functional and clinical implications. By performing invasive recordings from the nerves that control blood vessels and muscles in healthy volunteers subjected to long-lasting (~1 hour) experimental pain, this work will increase our understanding of the adaptive changes that pain induces and improve treatments to prevent pain from becoming chronic.
Passive Mechanical Properties Of Muscle Fascicles And Tendons Of People With Contracture And Healthy Controls
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$221,872.00
Summary
Muscle contracture - abnormal stiffening of muscles - is common in many conditions, including stroke, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. Contractures can be very disabling. The mechanisms of muscle contracture are poorly understood. This study will determine whether contractures of calf muscles in people with stroke, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis are due to changes in the mechanical properties of muscle fascicles or tendons.
I am a physiologist investigating the molecular basis of normal function in skeletal muscle and the dysfunctions occurring in various muscle diseases and in fatigue. In addition, I investigate analogous dysfunction of calcium release and excitability occu