Effects of different simulated gravity conditions on neuromuscular control in drop jump exercises

Abstract

The neuromuscular characteristics of the triceps surae muscle were investigated during the various types of stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) muscle loading. The analysis concentrated on the preactivation and the contact phases of SSC. Muscle loading was changed unconventionally by artificially changing the condition of the gravity in drop jumps. This was accomplished by using a special lifting block system where the gravity could be modified to control loading and unloading effects of the triceps surae muscle. The normal gravity condition showed an advantage over the other gravity drop jump conditions for the measured parameters. The same tendency could be seen in the activation characteristics of the investigated muscles in the preactivation and eccentric phases. Further, the preactivation EMG was related to the eccentric peak angular velocity of the ankle joint. The correlation coefficients were 0.37 (p < 0.05) and 0.48 (p < 0.01) for the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscles, respectively. All the results emphasized considerable adaptation of the neuromuscular system to the normal gravity condition. However, the overall control of landing may also depend on the vestibular and visual inputs, which might modify even the earlier learned central programs.