Reciprocal inhibition

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Reciprocal inhibition describes the relaxation of

Mechanics

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Joints are controlled by two opposing sets of muscles called

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

Duration

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The phenomenon is fleeting, incomplete, and weak. For example, when the

As the body ages, the control of voluntary inhibition decreases in conjunction with the torque of the synapse as joints stiffen and their motor output is reduced. However, this reduction in ability tends to be insignificant.[3]

Application in physical therapy

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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