A comparative study of the neurophysiologicalremote effects of different resistive staticfacilitation techniques on the flexor carpi radialis H-reflex.

Resistive static contraction facilitation technique applied by manual resistance using a pro-prioceptive neuromuscular facilitation patternin the mid-range pelvic posterior depression technique(RSCPDT) or anterior elevation technique (RSCAET) with the subject on the affected side produces greater increase in range of motion of remote parts. However, few studies have provided evidences for neurophysiological remote effects of resistive static exercise that consider the direction of resistance force. The purpose of this study was to clarify therebound effects of RSCPDT on the time-course of excitability of the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) H-reflex in comparison withRSCAET as an opposite direction of resistance force. Six healthy subjects were randomly assigned two groups: the RSCPDT (n = 3)andRSCAET group (n = 3) groups. Repeated FCR H-reflexes with small M-waves (1 Hz) were sequentially elicited in a row without interval for a period of 220 s. The repeated ANOVA revealed thatneurophysiologicalrebound effects induced by RSCPDT on the FCR H-reflex causea significant initial inhibition phase during RSCPDT and a significant subsequent facilitatory phase after RSCPDT when compared to RSCAET. We named those phenomena as remote rebound effects (RRE). These results suggest that the neurophysiological RRE of resistive static contractionof pelvic muscles on the FCR H-reflex may depend on the direction of resistance. The RSCPDTis a specific resistive exercise to induce RRE.