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The Dominant Role Of The Hip In Multijoint Reflex Responses In Human Spinal Cord Injury, Tanya Onushko

Dissertations (1934 -)

Following a spinal cord injury (SCI), people often experience exaggerated reflexes, such that mild provocations can cause prolonged and uncontrolled muscle activity throughout the entire leg. These reflexes can be problematic and are known to interfere with functional tasks, such as transferring to and from a wheelchair, and they may interfere with locomotor function by prolonging muscle activity and/or inappropriately activating muscles during attempts to walk. While these multijoint reflexes have been shown to originate from several afferent cues, hip afferent input is a particularly potent sensory signal that readily triggers multijoint reflexes. The overall objective of this dissertation was …