2006, Number 4
The H reflex of the anterior tibial muscle can be easily evoked
Estañol B, Montes de Oca-Delgado , Senties-Madrid H, Baizabal-Carballo F, López-García L, García-Ramos G
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Language: Spanish
References: 7
Page: 241-244
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ABSTRACT
Objective: to determine if the H reflex of the anterior tibial muscle could be elicited by sumaximal stimulation to the peroneal nerve during slight muscle contraction and with averaging of the muscular responses in healthy subjects. Subjects and methods: we studied twenty healthy volunteers aged between 24 and 53 years. Fifteen were women and 5 were men with an age of 36.5±8.25 years, with a height of 159±8 centimeters and a length of the leg of 33.12±3.4 centimeters. We stimulated both legs successively under two conditions: a. muscle at rest; b. slight muscle contraction of 10 to 20 percent. The stimulus was a submaximal stimulus to the M wave given at the peroneal nerve at the head of the fibular bone. The stimulus was given at rest and during a slight muscle contraction and the response was averaged 25 times. The latency was measured at the onset of the H wave. Results: we obtained the H reflex of the anterior tibial muscles with slight muscle contraction in both legs in 100 per cent of the subjects whereas at rest we obtained it in only 5 percent of the subjects. The latency on the left side was 29.74 ± 2.52 ‘ms with an amplitude of 203±111. 35µV and on the right side the latency was 30.71±3.1 ms with an amplitude of 298.43±160 µV. The interside difference was 1.64 ±1.5 ms. Discussion: it is feasible and relatively easy to elicit the H reflex of the anterior tibial muscle with a submaximal stimulus to the peroneal nerve and with a minimal muscle contraction in healthy subjects. The data obtained could be useful for comparison in future studies in patients with radiculopathy at the L4-L5 levels.REFERENCES