An Electromyographic Analysis of Muscular Activity in the Hindlimb of the Cat during Unrestrained Locomotion

Abstract

During walking in unrestrained cats the electromyographic activity in many hindlimb muscles has been correlated with the angular movement in the hip, knee and ankle joints. The activity is rather uniform in the extensors but individual in different functional groups of flexor muscles. Observations on the precise timing of the onset of the main extensor activity suggest that it is not a reflex effect produced by stimulation of receptors (from muscle or skin) in the limb. It is assumed that the basic activity is a centrally programmed alternating activation of extensors and flexors. A possible reflex regulation mainly from la afferents of this basic activity is discussed with special attention given to factors that may elucidate the difference in movement at the hip on one side and the knee and ankle on the other.