In humans Ib facilitation depends on locomotion while suppression of Ib inhibition requires loading

The role of force feedback during gait is still a matter of debate. From work on cats, it is known that input from Golgi tendon organs from triceps surae does produce Ib facilitation during locomotion instead of autogenic inhibition. In humans, Stephens and Yang (Stephens, M.J., Yang, J.F., 1996. Short latency, non-reciprocal group I inhibition is reduced during the stance phase of walking in humans. Brain Res. 743, 24–31) found that voluntary contraction results in a reduction of Ib inhibition. During gait, they even observed Ib facilitation in a subset of subjects. This raises the question whether the crucial elements involved in these changes are either loading of the leg or locomotion. To examine this question, Ib reflexes were investigated during sitting, lying supine, lying supine with 300 N pressure applied to the foot sole, standing, and a rhythmic loading and unloading task called “reduced” gait. Ib inhibition was obtained during sitting and lying supine. This inhibition was significantly reduced or disappeared during standing and when lying supine but loaded. During the stance phase of “reduced” gait, the inhibition disappeared in eight subjects, and even a facilitation was observed in six subjects. It is concluded that the decrease in Ib inhibition from gastrocnemius to soleus occurs during a load-bearing condition and does not require locomotion. In contrast, Ib facilitation requires locomotion at least in a rudimentary form.