caa a22 4500 445354461 CHVBK 20180317142855.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170323e20110101xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s00221-010-2472-3 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s00221-010-2472-3 Bilateral neuromuscular plasticity from unilateral training of the ankle dorsiflexors [Elektronische Daten] [Katie Dragert, E. Zehr] Training a muscle group in one limb yields strength gains bilaterally—the so-called cross-education effect. However, to date there has been little study of the targeted application of this phenomenon in a manner relevant to clinical rehabilitation. For example, it may be applicable post-stroke, where hemiparesis leads to ankle flexor weakness. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of high-intensity unilateral dorsiflexion resistance training on agonist (tibialis anterior, TA) and antagonist (plantarflexor soleus, SOL) muscular strength and H-reflex excitability in the trained and untrained limbs. Ankle flexor and extensor torque, as well as SOL and TA H-reflexes evoked during low-level contraction, were measured before and after 5weeks of dorsiflexion training (n=19). As a result of the intervention, dorsiflexor maximal voluntary isometric contraction force (MVIC) significantly increased (P<0.05) in both the trained and untrained limbs by 14.7 and 8.4%, respectively. No changes in plantarflexor MVIC force were observed in either limb. Significant changes in H-reflex excitability threshold were also detected: H@thresh significantly increased in the trained TA and SOL; and H@max decreased in both SOL muscles. These findings reveal that muscular crossed effects can be obtained in the ankle dorsiflexor muscles and provide novel information on agonist and antagonist spinal adaptations that accompany unilateral training. It is possible that the ability to strengthen the ankle dorsiflexors bilaterally could be applied in post-stroke rehabilitation, where ankle flexor weakness could be counteracted via dorsiflexor training in the less-affected limb. Springer-Verlag, 2010 Interlimb nationallicence Cross-education nationallicence Muscular crossed effect nationallicence H-reflex nationallicence Rehabilitation nationallicence Dragert Katie Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3010 STN CSC, V8W 3P1, Victoria, BC, Canada aut Zehr E. Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3010 STN CSC, V8W 3P1, Victoria, BC, Canada aut Experimental Brain Research Springer-Verlag 208/2(2011-01-01), 217-227 0014-4819 208:2<217 2011 208 221 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-010-2472-3 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-010-2472-3 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Dragert Katie Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3010 STN CSC, V8W 3P1, Victoria, BC, Canada aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Zehr E. Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3010 STN CSC, V8W 3P1, Victoria, BC, Canada aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Experimental Brain Research Springer-Verlag 208/2(2011-01-01), 217-227 0014-4819 208:2<217 2011 208 221 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer