Effect of Being Athlete on the Structure and Organization of Walking Neural Control with and without Disturbance

Document Type : Original article

Authors

1 PhD Candidate, Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran

2 PhD, Associated Professor, Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran

3 PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Sports Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran

4 PhD, Assistant Professor, Department Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Technology and Engineering, University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran

Abstract

Background and Aims: Does long-term training modify the neural control of walking pattern? The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of being athlete on the structure and organization of walking neural control with and without disturbance.
Materials and Methods: The present study was performed as a semi-experimental study. Participants included 12 football plyer students and 12 non-athlete students at the University of Mazandaran. They performed treadmill walking pattern with open-eyes and closed-eyes conditions. Lower extremity muscles electromyography was collected using Noraxon system during walking. Muscle synergy variables, including sum, duty, peak, and area muscle activities, were calculated using Non-negative matrix factorization. The data comparisons for the assessment of the variables were performed running the two-way ANOVA test in SPSS software.
Results: Athletes showed less duty and the total muscle activity compared with non-athletes during open eyes walking (p < 0.001). Peak muscle activity was higher during open eyes walking compared with closed eyes walking in athletes (p = 0.003). In contrast, duty, area, and the total muscle activity of athletes were lower than those in non-athletes (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The results of the present study suggested that doing exercise training for long-term period can change modules of neuromuscular system in walking pattern. Soccer players have the ability to employ muscle groups with higher peak muscle activity. In contrast, duty, area, and the total muscle activity are lower in soccer players compared with non-athlete individuals and can be an evidence for different decision of neuromuscular system of these groups when doing walking pattern.

Keywords

Main Subjects


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Volume 9, Issue 2
July 2020
Pages 158-166
  • Receive Date: 25 May 2019
  • Revise Date: 01 September 2019
  • Accept Date: 18 September 2019
  • First Publish Date: 21 June 2020