Modulation of the human soleus stretch reflex during gait

A system able of imposing a fast ankle rotation during gait has been developed. The two-link system consists of a mechanical joint, strapped to the shin and the subjects´ foot. The mechanical joint turns around the joint and is, by means of bowden wires, connected to a motor placed next to a treadmill where the subject is walking. It is possible with the attained system to investigate how the stretch reflex is modulated during gait and it makes it conceivable to examine to what extend the stretch reflex is contributing to the control of locomotion during normal and pathological motor behaviour. Preliminary results show that the modulation of the stretch reflex emerged with the same pattern during gait as described in the literature for the H-reflex