Spinal reflex plastizity in Seniors

Spinal reflex plasticity in response to alpine skiing in the elderly

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess functional as well as neural adaptations after alpine skiing

Description

There is a rapid increase in the number of senior citizens in industrialized countries. Therefore, seniors represent a growing part of nation’s population and their health and training status is consequently becoming of increasing interest. The present study was designed to assess the influence of 12 weeks of alpine skiing on spinal reflex plasticity, strength and postural control in senior citizens. Therefore, H-reflexes, postural stability and maximal isometric force were measured in 22 subjects. The results showed an increased H-reflex excitability after the training (+ 39%; P = 0.035) while no changes occurred in the background EMG. The centre of pressure displacement decreased significantly after training (-6.6 cm; P = 0.05) and the maximal force increased (+ 12.8%; P = 0.032). No adaptations in any parameter could be observed in the control group. The present study demonstrated that skiing training was effective to alter the spinal reflex activity in elderly people. The increased H-reflexes correspond to adaptations known from strength training in young subjects. It may be assumed that alpine skiing evoked a functional adaptation in that subjects have learned to integrate Ia afferent feedback more efficiently to ensure adequate motoneuron output.

Involved people

Benedikt Lauber, Martin Keller, Albert Gollhofer, Erich Müller, Wolfgang Taube

Partners

Department Sport Science and Kinesiology, University of Salzburg, Austria
Christian Doppler Laboratory “Biomechanics in Skiing”, Austria

Additional information

submitted: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports