Association between muscle architecture and quadriceps femoris H‐reflex

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Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to establish the relationship between muscle architecture and H‐reflex recordings in quadriceps femoris muscle. H‐reflexes were elicited in human quadriceps femoris muscle over a broad area of skin to document the shape and amplitude of the H‐potentials. This, in combination with recording monopolar and bipolar H‐potentials, was performed to determine the location and method for measuring maximum‐amplitude H‐reflexes. The influence of neural and peripheral factors on the H‐potential during passive length changes was studied by comparing the amplitude of H‐potentials to motor unit action potentials. Monopolar recordings of the H‐potential were found to be preferable to bipolar recordings because of the reproducibility of shape and easier distinction between the M‐ and H‐potentials. The location for recording maximum H‐potentials was in the distal one third of the quadriceps femoris muscle, over the border between vastus lateralis and rectus femoris. The inferred relationship between H‐potential amplitude and reflex excitability must be made with caution in quadriceps femoris muscle because the amplitude of both the motor unit potential and H‐potential change as a function of muscle length. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.