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DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1024809
Proprioceptive Facilitation of Muscle Tension During Unilateral and Bilateral Knee Extension
Publication History
Publication Date:
14 March 2008 (online)
Abstract
The effects of double neuromuscular facilitation (DNF) in unilateral movements and of quadruple neuromuscular facilitation (QNF) in bilateral movements were studied in 42 physically active college-age male subjects. Results showed a 10.4% significant increase of maximal knee extension torque output when unilateral extension was preceded by a knee flexion on an isokinetic exerciser and a 16.7% increase of maximal torque in the bilateral condition of simultaneous alternating flexion-extension when compared to the simultaneous extension movement. Consequently, the increased peak torque observed in the unilateral and bilateral experimental conditions in which knee extension was preceded by a knee flexion appears to be the result of a combination of neuromuscular influences and stored elastic energy.
Key words
knee extension - peak torque - muscle stretch - neuromuscular facilitation - excitation - storage of elastic energy