TY - JOUR
T1 - Between-day reliability of upper extremity H-reflexes
AU - Stowe, Ann Marie
AU - Hughes-Zahner, Laura
AU - Stylianou, Antonis Pantakis
AU - Schindler-Ivens, Sheila
AU - Quaney, Barbara Marie
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Rebecca Maletsky, Laura Herbelin, RN, Virginia Barnes, Danielle Keenan, PT, and Abby Leising for their technical assistance. We would also like to thank The Foundation for Physical Therapy, Inc., Magistro Award 2006, for funding of this study.
PY - 2008/5/30
Y1 - 2008/5/30
N2 - H-reflexes are useful for evaluating the group Ia monosynaptic reflex excitability in the lower and upper extremities (UEs). However, there is no established between-day protocol for measuring H-reflex excitability in the UE extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL). The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable protocol to measure the H-reflex excitability between-days for the ECRL, and the antagonist muscle, the flexor carpi radialis (FCR). H-reflex recruitment curves were recorded from eight healthy young subjects over 3 consecutive days in both muscles. Variables associated with the H-reflex excitability were measured: (a) maximum amplitude (Hmax); (b) gain (HGN); (c) threshold (HTH, visHTH, and sdHTH). All variables were normalized with respect to the M-wave. Within individual muscles, there were no statistically significant differences between-days for the group (p > 0.05) and variables showed fair to good reliability (ICC = 0.57-0.99). This method of reliably measuring H-reflex excitability within UE muscles will be useful for investigating the effects of pathology and rehabilitation on monosynaptic reflexes.
AB - H-reflexes are useful for evaluating the group Ia monosynaptic reflex excitability in the lower and upper extremities (UEs). However, there is no established between-day protocol for measuring H-reflex excitability in the UE extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL). The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable protocol to measure the H-reflex excitability between-days for the ECRL, and the antagonist muscle, the flexor carpi radialis (FCR). H-reflex recruitment curves were recorded from eight healthy young subjects over 3 consecutive days in both muscles. Variables associated with the H-reflex excitability were measured: (a) maximum amplitude (Hmax); (b) gain (HGN); (c) threshold (HTH, visHTH, and sdHTH). All variables were normalized with respect to the M-wave. Within individual muscles, there were no statistically significant differences between-days for the group (p > 0.05) and variables showed fair to good reliability (ICC = 0.57-0.99). This method of reliably measuring H-reflex excitability within UE muscles will be useful for investigating the effects of pathology and rehabilitation on monosynaptic reflexes.
KW - Between-day reliability
KW - H-reflex
KW - Healthy adults
KW - Upper extremity
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2008.01.031
DO - 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2008.01.031
M3 - Article
C2 - 18377996
AN - SCOPUS:41949110046
SN - 0165-0270
VL - 170
SP - 317
EP - 323
JO - Journal of Neuroscience Methods
JF - Journal of Neuroscience Methods
IS - 2
ER -