Replication and discrimination of limb movement velocity

It is well known that proprioception is composed of the senses of movement and position. Whereas tests of position sense are quite commonly used, tests of the acuity in perception of movement velocity are scarce. In the present study we examined some novel tests for assessing the sense of limb movement velocity, involving replication and discrimination of single-joint movement velocity. Specifically, we investigated: (1) whether replication of limb movement velocity is more accurate following active criterion movements as compared to passive; (2) whether antagonist muscle contraction during passive limb movement enhances velocity discrimination; (3) how criterion movement velocity influences response accuracy; (4) the relationship between movement velocity and movement extent during velocity replication; and (5) whether subjects really base discrimination of velocities on perceived velocity. Sixteen healthy subjects participated in four tests (I-IV). For each test, horizontal abductions were performed about the right glenohumeral joint from the sagittal plane. The subjects were required to actively replicate the velocity of either an active (Test I) or passive (Test II) criterion movement, or judge whether a passive/semipassive (passive during antagonist muscle contraction) movement was faster or slower than a previous passive/semipassive criterion movement (Test III/IV). The results revealed higher response accuracy for Test I compared to Test II and for slower movements compared to faster, but no difference in response accuracy between Test III and IV. For velocity discrimination, the analysis revealed that the subjects based their judgment on the difference between criterion and comparison velocity rather than time or extent cues.     

Active knee joint velocity replication measures are stable and accurate in healthy individuals

The purpose of this study was to determine the stability and accuracy of active knee joint velocity replication methods in healthy subjects. We used a repeated measures design with 14 healthy volunteers. Measures of velocity replication were performed in two ranges of knee joint flexion (0 degrees -30 degrees and 60 degrees -90 degrees ), across four testing velocities (5, 10, 15, and 30 degrees /s) in two movement directions (flexion and extension). Statistical analysis included intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs; 2, k) and associated standard error of the measures calculated between day 1 and 2. We performed z-tests between all possible combinations of ICC pairs using Fisher's Z transformations to determine if any significant differences existed between observed ICCs. We also calculated correlation ratios (eta2) to explain the source of variability in the calculated ICCs. To assess measurement accuracy, we calculated constant error and absolute error between criterion and replication velocities. Results on ICCs and standard error of the measurements (SEMs) ranged from r = -0.44 +/- 7.00 to 0.88 +/- 0.72 degrees /s. Calculated z-tests indicated six paired ICCs were significantly different ( p < 0.1). In all six pairs, the faster test velocity had a lower ICC magnitude. The eta2 calculations demonstrated that inconsistent performance between day 1 and 2 caused the low ICC magnitudes observed with faster testing velocities. Significantly more absolute error occurred at 30 and 15 degrees /s compared with 5 degrees /s. Significantly less constant error was observed for 30 degrees /s compared with 15 degrees /s. A significant direction by range of motion interaction indicated less constant error for flexion movements in the 60 degrees -90 degrees range of motion (ROM) as compared with extension movements in either ROM. Healthy individuals could actively replicate slower criterion velocities in the mid and end ranges of knee joint motion in both movement directions with an acceptable amount of consistency and accuracy. The data support the use of velocity replication in future investigations on proprioceptive function.     

Active knee joint velocity replication measures are stable and accurate in healthy individuals

The purpose of this study was to determine the stability and accuracy of active knee joint velocity replication methods in healthy subjects. We used a repeated measures design with 14 healthy volunteers. Measures of velocity replication were performed in two ranges of knee joint flexion (0°–30° and 60°–90°), across four testing velocities (5, 10, 15, and 30°/s) in two movement directions (flexion and extension). Statistical analysis included intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs; 2, k) and associated standard error of the measures calculated between day 1 and 2. We performed z-tests between all possible combinations of ICC pairs using Fisher’s Z transformations to determine if any significant differences existed between observed ICCs. We also calculated correlation ratios (η²) to explain the source of variability in the calculated ICCs. To assess measurement accuracy, we calculated constant error and absolute error between criterion and replication velocities. Results on ICCs and standard error of the measurements (SEMs) ranged from r = ?0.44 ± 7.00 to 0.88 ± 0.72°/s. Calculated z-tests indicated six paired ICCs were significantly different (?p < 0.1). In all six pairs, the faster test velocity had a lower ICC magnitude. The η² calculations demonstrated that inconsistent performance between day 1 and 2 caused the low ICC magnitudes observed with faster testing velocities. Significantly more absolute error occurred at 30 and 15°/s compared with 5°/s. Significantly less constant error was observed for 30°/s compared with 15°/s. A significant direction by range of motion interaction indicated less constant error for flexion movements in the 60°–90° range of motion (ROM) as compared with extension movements in either ROM. Healthy individuals could actively replicate slower criterion velocities in the mid and end ranges of knee joint motion in both movement directions with an acceptable amount of consistency and accuracy. The data support the use of velocity replication in future investigations on proprioceptive function.     

A comparison of the effects of agonist and antagonist muscle fatigue on performance of rapid movements

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of agonist and antagonist muscle fatigue on the performance of rapid, self-terminating movements. Six subjects performed rapid, consecutive elbow flexion and extension movements between two targets prior to and after fatiguing either the elbow flexor or elbow extensor muscles. The experiments demonstrated consistent results. Agonist muscle fatigue was associated with a decrease in peak velocity and peak deceleration, while a decrease in peak acceleration was particularly prominent. Antagonist muscle fatigue, however, was associated with a decrease in peak deceleration, while a decrease in both the peak velocity and peak acceleration was modest and, in some tests, non-significant. The relative acceleration time (i.e. acceleration time as a proportion of the total movement time) increased when agonists were fatigued, but decreased when antagonists were fatigued. Taken together, these results emphasize the mechanical roles of the agonist and antagonist muscles; namely, the fatigue of each muscle group particularly affected the movement phase in which that group accelerated a limb, while changes of the movement kinematics pattern provided more time for action of the fatigued muscles. In addition, the results presented suggest that agonist muscle fatigue affects movement velocity more than antagonist muscle fatigue, even in movements that demonstrate prominently both mechanical and myoelectric activity of the antagonist muscles, such as rapid, self-terminating movements. Accepted: 11 February 1997     

Correlation analysis of proprioceptive acuity in ipsilateral position-matching and velocity-discrimination

In order to plan and control movements the central nervous system (CNS) needs to continuously keep track of the state of the musculoskeletal system. Therefore the CNS constantly uses sensory input from mechanoreceptors in muscles, joints and skin to update information about body configuration on different levels of the CNS. On the conscious level, such representations constitute proprioception. Different tests for assessment of proprioceptive acuity have been described. However, it is unclear if the proprioceptive acuity measurements in these tests correlate within subjects. By using both uni- and multivariate analysis we compared proprioceptive acuity in different variants of ipsilateral active and passive limb position-matching and ipsilateral passive limb movement velocity-discrimination in a group of healthy subjects. The analysis of the position-matching data revealed a higher acuity of matching for active movements in comparison to passive ones. The acuity of matching was negatively correlated to movement extent. There was a lack of correlation between proprioceptive acuity measurements in position-matching and velocity-discrimination.     

Correlation analysis of proprioceptive acuity in ipsilateral position-matching and velocity-discrimination

In order to plan and control movements the central nervous system (CNS) needs to continuously keep track of the state of the musculoskeletal system. Therefore the CNS constantly uses sensory input from mechanoreceptors in muscles, joints and skin to update information about body configuration on different levels of the CNS. On the conscious level, such representations constitute proprioception. Different tests for assessment of proprioceptive acuity have been described. However, it is unclear if the proprioceptive acuity measurements in these tests correlate within subjects. By using both uni- and multivariate analysis we compared proprioceptive acuity in different variants of ipsilateral active and passive limb position-matching and ipsilateral passive limb movement velocity-discrimination in a group of healthy subjects. The analysis of the position-matching data revealed a higher acuity of matching for active movements in comparison to passive ones. The acuity of matching was negatively correlated to movement extent. There was a lack of correlation between proprioceptive acuity measurements in position-matching and velocity-discrimination.     

Measuring movement irregularity in the upper motor neurone syndrome using normalised average rectified jerk.

Movement irregularity is a feature of the upper motor neurone (UMN) syndrome which is difficult to measure. Average rectified jerk (ARJ) has been proposed as a measure of this movement irregularity, but ARJ depends upon the duration of movement. Since movements may be slower in UMN patients, duration dependence compromises ARJ as a measure of irregularity. A normalisation technique is proposed that generates a measure of movement irregularity which is independent of movement duration: normalised average rectified jerk (NARJ). This paper presents a validation of NARJ in the UMN syndrome. Nine control subjects, nine left hemiparetic stroke patients and nine right hemiparetic stroke patients were studied. Test movements comprised elbow extension/flexion in the horizontal plane; these were recorded with an electro-goniometer and accelerometer. The effectiveness of the normalisation technique has been demonstrated using trajectories of various durations; some of these were artificially generated from participants' trajectories, in order to preserve the movement profile. The variability of NARJ and ARJ have been compared in a sample of control subjects. NARJ has been criterion validated by correlation with expert subjective rating of irregularity in a heterogeneous set of trajectories. Construct validity has been tested by discrimination between movements of control subjects, left hemiparetic stroke patients and right hemiparetic stroke patients. When comparing trajectories of identical profile but two-fold difference in movement duration, NARJ differed only 2.6% whereas ARJ differed 706%. NARJ was less reproducible in healthy participants than ARJ: median non-parametric coefficients of variation for repeated movements were 55% and 41%, respectively. Spearman rank correlation coefficient for NARJ and expert rating was 0.92 (p<0.01). NARJ measurements on right hemiparetic patients differ significantly from those made on the control group (p<0.02); corresponding ARJ measurements do not attain statistical significance. NARJ is a valid measure of movement irregularity in the UMN syndrome.     

Computation of trunk equilibrium and stability in free flexion-extension movements at different velocities

Velocity of movement has been suggested as a risk factor for low-back disorders. The effect of changes in velocity during unconstrained flexion-extension movements on muscle activations, spinal loads, base reaction forces and system stability was computed. In vivo measurements of kinematics and ground reaction forces were initially carried out on young asymptomatic subjects. The collected kinematics of three subjects representing maximum, mean and minimum lumbar rotations were subsequently used in the kinematics-driven model to compute results during the entire movements at three different velocities. Estimated spinal loads and muscle forces were significantly larger in fastest pace as compared to slower ones indicating the effect of inertial forces. Spinal stability was improved in larger trunk flexion angles and fastest movement. Partial or full flexion relaxation of global extensor muscles occurred only in slower movements. Some local lumbar muscles, especially in subjects with larger lumbar flexion and at slower paces, also demonstrated flexion relaxation. Results confirmed the crucial role of movement velocity on spinal biomechanics. Predictions also demonstrated the important role on response of the magnitude of peak lumbar rotation and its temporal variation.     

Optimal control of antagonistic muscle stiffness during voluntary movements

This paper presents a study on the control of antagonist muscle stiffness during single-joint arm movements by optimal control theory with a minimal effort criterion. A hierarchical model is developed based on the physiology of the neuromuscular control system and the equilibrium point hypothesis. For point-to-point movements, the model provides predictions on (1) movement trajectory, (2) equilibrium trajectory, (3) muscle control inputs, and (4) antagonist muscle stiffness, as well as other variables. We compared these model predictions to the behavior observed in normal human subjects. The optimal movements capture the major invariant characteristics of voluntary movements, such as a sigmoidal movement trajectory with a bell-shaped velocity profile, an N-shaped equilibrium trajectory, a triphasic burst pattern of muscle control inputs, and a dynamically modulated joint stiffness. The joint stiffness is found to increase in the middle of the movement as a consequence of the triphasic muscle activities. We have also investigated the effects of changes in model parameters on movement control. We found that the movement kinematics and muscle control inputs are strongly influenced by the upper bound of the descending excitation signal that activates motoneuron pools in the spinal cord. Furthermore, a class of movements with scaled velocity profiles can be achieved by tuning the amplitude and duration of this excitation signal. These model predictions agree with a wide body of experimental data obtained from normal human subjects. The results suggest that the control of fast arm movements involves explicit planning for both the equilibrium trajectory and joint stiffness, and that the minimal effort criterion best characterizes the objective of movement planning and control.     

Changes in the human muscle force-velocity relationship in response to resistance training and subsequent detraining.

Previous studies show that cessation of resistance training, commonly known as "detraining," is associated with strength loss, decreased neural drive, and muscular atrophy. Detraining may also increase the expression of fast muscle myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms. The present study examined the effect of detraining subsequent to resistance training on contractile performance during slow-to-medium velocity isokinetic muscle contraction vs. performance of maximal velocity "unloaded" limb movement (i.e., no external loading of the limb). Maximal knee extensor strength was measured in an isokinetic dynamometer at 30 and 240 degrees/s, and performance of maximal velocity limb movement was measured with a goniometer during maximal unloaded knee extension. Muscle cross-sectional area was determined with MRI. Electromyographic signals were measured in the quadriceps and hamstring muscles. Twitch contractions were evoked in the passive vastus lateralis muscle. MHC isoform composition was determined with SDS-PAGE. Isokinetic muscle strength increased 18% (P < 0.01) and 10% (P < 0.05) at slow and medium velocities, respectively, along with gains in muscle cross-sectional area and increased electromyogram in response to 3 mo of resistance training. After 3 mo of detraining these gains were lost, whereas in contrast maximal unloaded knee extension velocity and power increased 14% (P < 0.05) and 44% (P < 0.05), respectively. Additionally, faster muscle twitch contractile properties along with an increased and decreased amount of MHC type II and MHC type I isoforms, respectively, were observed. In conclusion, detraining subsequent to resistance training increases maximal unloaded movement speed and power in previously untrained subjects. A phenotypic shift toward faster muscle MHC isoforms (I --> IIA --> IIX) and faster electrically evoked muscle contractile properties in response to detraining may explain the present results.     

Role of agonist and antagonist muscle strength in performance of rapid movements

Six subjects performed rapid self-terminated elbow movements under different mechanical conditions prior to, and 5 weeks after an elbow extensor strengthening programme. Despite the large difference in the strengths of elbow flexors and extensors, the pretest did not demonstrate significant differences between the movement time of flexion and extension movements performed under the same mechanical conditions. The results obtained in the posttest demonstrated a decrease in movement time (i.e. an increase in movement speed) in both elbow flexion and extension movements under some mechanical conditions. In addition, flexion movements demonstrated a relative increase in the acceleration time (acceleration time as a proportion of the movement time). It was concluded that the strength of both the agonist and antagonist muscles was important for the performance of rapid movements. Stronger agonists could increase the acceleration of the limb being moved, while stronger antagonists could facilitate the arrest of the limb movement in a shorter time, providing a longer time for acceleration.     

Initial ventilatory and circulatory responses to dynamic exercise are slowed in the elderly.

To elucidate the characteristics of ventilatory and circulatory responses at the onset of brief and light exercise in the elderly, 13 healthy, elderly men, aged 66.8 yr (mean), exerted bilateral leg extension-flexion movements for only 20 s with a weight around each ankle, with each weight being approximately 2.5% of their body mass. Similar movements were passively performed on the subjects by the experimenters. These results were compared with those of 13 healthy, young men (22.9 yr). Minute ventilation increased at the onset of voluntary exercise and passive movements in both groups but showed a slower increase in the elderly. Heart rate also increased in both groups but showed less change in the elderly. Mean blood pressure temporarily decreased in both groups but less in the elderly. The magnitude of relative change (gain) of heart rate in the elderly was significantly smaller than that in the young, whereas the increasing rate to reach one-half of the gain (response time) of ventilation in the elderly was significantly slower than that in the young. Similar tendencies were observed in the passive movements. It is concluded that the elderly show slower ventilatory response and attenuated circulatory response at the onset of dynamic voluntary exercise and passive movements.     

Motor Cost Influences Perceptual Decisions

Perceptual decision making has been widely studied using tasks in which subjects are asked to discriminate a visual stimulus and instructed to report their decision with a movement. In these studies, performance is measured by assessing the accuracy of the participants’ choices as a function of the ambiguity of the visual stimulus. Typically, the reporting movement is considered as a mere means of reporting the decision with no influence on the decision-making process. However, recent studies have shown that even subtle differences of biomechanical costs between movements may influence how we select between them. Here we investigated whether this purely motor cost could also influence decisions in a perceptual discrimination task in detriment of accuracy. In other words, are perceptual decisions only dependent on the visual stimulus and entirely orthogonal to motor costs? Here we show the results of a psychophysical experiment in which human subjects were presented with a random dot motion discrimination task and asked to report the perceived motion direction using movements of different biomechanical cost. We found that the pattern of decisions exhibited a significant bias towards the movement of lower cost, even when this bias reduced performance accuracy. This strongly suggests that motor costs influence decision making in visual discrimination tasks for which its contribution is neither instructed nor beneficial.     

Assessing Movement Factors in Upper Limb Kinematics Decoding from EEG Signals

The past decades have seen the rapid development of upper limb kinematics decoding techniques by performing intracortical recordings of brain signals. However, the use of non-invasive approaches to perform similar decoding procedures is still in its early stages. Recent studies show that there is a correlation between electroencephalographic (EEG) signals and hand-reaching kinematic parameters. From these studies, it could be concluded that the accuracy of upper limb kinematics decoding depends, at least partially, on the characteristics of the performed movement. In this paper, we have studied upper limb movements with different speeds and trajectories in a controlled environment to analyze the influence of movement variability in the decoding performance. To that end, low frequency components of the EEG signals have been decoded with linear models to obtain the position of the volunteer’s hand during performed trajectories grasping the end effector of a planar manipulandum. The results confirm that it is possible to obtain kinematic information from low frequency EEG signals and show that decoding performance is significantly influenced by movement variability and tracking accuracy as continuous and slower movements improve the accuracy of the decoder. This is a key factor that should be taken into account in future experimental designs.     

Correlation between plantarflexor moment arm and preferred gait velocity in slower elderly men

In this study, the relationship between musculoskeletal architecture of the lateral gastrocnemius muscle and gait velocity in elderly individuals was investigated using ultrasonography and standardized tests of physical performance in 20 older adult males. Musculoskeletal architecture parameters included moment arm, fascicle length, pennation angle, and muscle thickness. The Six Minute Walk Test (6MIN) and Four Metre Walk Velocity Test (4METRE) were used to determine preferred and maximum gait velocity, respectively. Only weak correlations were found for all 20 subjects taken together. After subjects were separated into faster and slower subgroups by preferred velocity using cluster analysis; however, a strong correlation was found between plantarflexion moment arm and 6MIN velocity in the slower group (R(2)=0.669, p=0.004). Examination of subgroup differences revealed that the slow subgroup was significantly older than the fast subgroup (p=0.034), and had average body mass (p=0.021) and body mass index (p=0.011) that were significantly greater. The strength of the correlation between plantarflexion moment arm and 6MIN velocity found for slower subjects is much greater than those previously reported for correlations between ankle strength or power and walking velocity. Further investigation is necessary to determine if a link exists between plantarflexor moment arm and gait velocity in older and heavier adults.     

Music Attenuates Excessive Visual Guidance of Skilled Reaching in Advanced but Not Mild Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson''s disease (PD) results in movement and sensory impairments that can be reduced by familiar music. At present, it is unclear whether the beneficial effects of music are limited to lessening the bradykinesia of whole body movement or whether beneficial effects also extend to skilled movements of PD subjects. This question was addressed in the present study in which control and PD subjects were given a skilled reaching task that was performed with and without accompanying preferred musical pieces. Eye movements and limb use were monitored with biomechanical measures and limb movements were additionally assessed using a previously described movement element scoring system. Preferred musical pieces did not lessen limb and hand movement impairments as assessed with either the biomechanical measures or movement element scoring. Nevertheless, the PD patients with more severe motor symptoms as assessed by Hoehn and Yahr (HY) scores displayed enhanced visual engagement of the target and this impairment was reduced during trials performed in association with accompanying preferred musical pieces. The results are discussed in relation to the idea that preferred musical pieces, although not generally beneficial in lessening skilled reaching impairments, may normalize the balance between visual and proprioceptive guidance of skilled reaching.     

Effects of Acoustic Context on the Perceptual Differences between Spatial Sound Stimuli

We studied the effects of the acoustic context on active and passive discrimination of moving sound signals. Different contexts were created by reversing the role of standard and deviant stimuli in the oddball blocks, while their acoustical features were kept the same. Three types of sounds were used as standard or deviant stimuli in different blocks: stationary midline noises and two (smooth and abrupt) moving sounds moving to the left or right of the midline. Auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded during passive listening (the sound stimulation ignored), and mismatch negativity potentials (MMNs) were obtained. Active discrimination of sound movements was measured by the hit rate (percent correct responses) and false alarm rate, as well as the reaction time. The influence of the stimulus context on active and passive discrimination of the moving sound stimuli was reflected in the phenomenon known as the effect of deviance direction. The hit rate and MMN amplitude were higher when the deviant moved faster than the standard. The MMN amplitude was more responsive to the velocity of sound stimuli than the hit rate and false alarm rate. The psychophysical measurements in the reversed contexts suggest that smooth and abrupt sound movements may belong to the same perceptual category (moving sounds), while the stationary stimuli form another perceptual category.     

Muscle-contraction properties in overarm throwing movements

On the basis of dynamic and kinematic data, this study identifies the type of muscle contraction in unloaded overarm throwing movements. An unloaded throw or nearly unloaded throw is defined as the throw in which the external resistance is too small (e.g., the team handball, baseball, and water polo throws as well as the tennis and badminton smashes). A special arm-force-measuring apparatus was constructed to imitate an overarm throw. Forty-two subjects were placed into 3 groups: untrained subjects, weight-trained athletes, and team handball players. The measured parameters included the velocity of the initial movement, the release velocity, the velocity of the first 50 milliseconds of the concentric phase, the force value at the moment of deceleration of the initial movement, and the impulse values during the eccentric and concentric phases of the test movement. Statistically significant higher values of the above parameters (p < 0.05) were determined in that test at which the initial speed of movement was higher. Also, the correlation coefficients of the parameters of the initial phase of the throw movement were very high (p < 0.001), especially the parameters related with the movement's first 50 milliseconds. The results support the thesis that the stretch-shortening cycle is the type of muscle contraction in unloaded overarm throws. Furthermore, it is possible to increase the throw velocity by increasing the velocity of the initial movement (i.e., by provoking higher inertia forces).     

Fluctuations in acceleration during voluntary contractions lead to greater impairment of movement accuracy in old adults.

The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of movement velocity on the relation between fluctuations in acceleration and the ability to achieve a target velocity during voluntary contractions performed by young (29.5 +/- 4.3 yr) and old (74.9 +/- 6.2 yr) adults. Subjects performed concentric and eccentric contractions with the first dorsal interosseus muscle while lifting a submaximal load (15% of maximum) at six movement velocities (0.03-1.16 rad/s). Fluctuations in acceleration, the accuracy of matching the target velocity, and electromyographic (EMG) activity were determined from three trials for each contraction type and movement velocity. The fluctuations in acceleration increased with movement velocity for both concentric and eccentric contractions, but they were greatest during fast eccentric contractions ( approximately 135%) when there was stronger modulation of acceleration in the 5- to 10-Hz bandwidth. Nonetheless, EMG amplitude for first dorsal interosseus increased with movement velocity only for concentric and not eccentric contractions. Consistent with the minimum variance theory, movement accuracy was related to the fluctuations in acceleration for both types of contractions in all subjects. For a given level of fluctuations in acceleration, however, old subjects were three times less accurate than young subjects. Although the EMG amplitude at each speed was similar for young and old adults, only the young adults modulated the power in the EMG spectrum with speed. Thus the fluctuations in acceleration during voluntary contractions had a more pronounced effect on movement accuracy for old adults compared with young adults, probably due to factors that influenced the frequency-domain characteristics of the EMG.     

Directional sensitivity of velocity sense in the lumbar spine

Regulating spinal motion requires proprioceptive feedback. While studies have investigated the sensing of static lumbar postures, few have investigated sensing lumbar movement speed. In this study, proprioceptive contributions to lateral trunk motion were examined during paraspinal muscle vibration. Seventeen healthy subjects performed lateral trunk flexion movements while lying prone with pelvis fixed. A 44.5-Hz vibratory stimulus was applied to the paraspinal muscles at the L3 level. Subjects attempted to match target paces of 9.5, 13.5, and 17.5 deg/s with and without paraspinal muscle vibration. Vibration of the paraspinal musculature was found to result in slower overall lateral flexion. This effect was found to have a greater influence in the difference of directional velocities with vibration applied to the left musculature. These changes reflect the sensitivity of lumbar velocity sense to applied vibration leading to the perception of faster muscle lengthening and ultimately resulting in slower movement velocities. This suggests that muscle spindle organs modulate the ability to sense velocity of motion and are important in the control of dynamic motion of the spine.