Effects of the lower leg tapping on H reflexes recruitment curve parameters: a comparison of soleus and lateral gastrocnemius muscles motor neurons

The application of tapping has been widely used by physiotherapists for many years as a useful rehabilitation program in the treatment of a wide variety of neuron musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore the aim of this study was to answer whether Tapping has the same effects on fast jerking muscles motor neurons as it affects slow muscle or not?

In this semi-experimental study, Fifteen non-athletic healthy volunteers with the age of 27.7 ± 3.4 years old in the way of available sampling were assessed. After cutting and preparing, the Y-strip Kinesiotape was applied on insertion of Achill Tendon toward medial and lateral head of Gastrocnemious muscles. The H-Reflex was used for assessment of motor neurons recruitment curve of soleus and lateral gastrocnemious muscles. Percutaneously 40 electrically pulses with duration of 1 millisecond and 3 stimulations per each stimulus intensity were induced on Tibial nerves and H-Reflex recruitment curve were recorded in 4 phases. In order to compare the parameters between two muscles the ANOVA repeated measurement was used.

The required intensity to record thelast H-Reflex in recruitment curve was significantly decreased in lateral Gastrocnemious compare with Soleus, 5 minutes after tapping (P=0.01) and 15 minutes after stopping the tap (P=0.03). There was a significant difference in the average changes in other variables. But There was a significant difference in all other variables inlateral gastrocnemious compare with soleus muscle (P<0.05).

Tapping has more facilitative effects on lateral Gasterosoleus muscle specially type I motoneurons and to some lesser extent in soleus motoneurons. Therefore it seems that Tapping can be more used to facilitate fast muscles.