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Neurophysiological insights on flexibility improvements through motor imagery
Thiago Ferreira Dias Kanthack1, Aymeric Guillot2, Charalambos Papaxanthis3
1Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Biologie de la Motricité, EA 7424, F69622 Villeurbanne, Cedex, France; CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
Behavioural Brain Research
|May 11, 2017
Summary
Motor imagery practice enhances muscle stretching performance by reducing hamstring activation. This improvement in flexibility may stem from enhanced cortical control over spinal reflexes during movement.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sports Science
- Kinesiology
Background:
- The effectiveness of motor imagery (MI) for improving muscle stretching is debated.
- Neurophysiological mechanisms underlying MI's impact on stretching are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of kinesthetic motor imagery on sit-and-reach task performance.
- To explore the neurophysiological changes associated with MI during stretching.
Main Methods:
- Healthy participants were divided into MI practice and control groups.
- Participants performed sit-and-reach trials with and without MI, with electromyography and skin conductance recorded.
Main Results:
- The MI group showed significantly greater performance improvements compared to the control group.
- Reduced hamstring muscle activation was observed in the MI group during stretching.
- Increased sympathetic activity was noted during the final stretching attempts in both groups.
Conclusions:
- Kinesthetic motor imagery practice can enhance stretching performance.
- Improved flexibility may be achieved through reduced muscle activation, potentially via cortical modulation of spinal reflexes.
