Motor Learning
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Motor Learning
In the 21st century, education, scientists, and experts have tried to explain the internal operations of the human body. Researchers such as Emmanuel Swedenborg had gained much knowledge about human anatomy. However, it’s still a mystery and complex in discovering the operation of the body. Moreover, universities and colleges are offering courses that are aided in studying the human body. One of the significant factors involved in the human body study is the process of various body movements, mainly referred to as kinesiology (Blekhman et al., 2015). Through the course of the study, experts have to also be objective on the various motor programs. In this paper, there will be an explanation of the general motor programs and a description of the program through the use of one example.
According to research, a general motor program is developed through constant practicing and ultimately produces a general movement sequence with a particular class of movements. It must be noted that such kind of change sequences are within a category or religion of movements that share similar invariant features, for example, the sequence order, timing, and exacted force (Bruno, Frost & Humphries, 2015). The central storage unit for these motor programs is the long-term memory that must activate something for the movement to be initiated. General motor programs are achieved by the various body muscles that enabled the movement of the body organs. The body muscles are attached to the bones, internal organs, and blood vessels; thus, they are responsible for ensuring movement. Body movement is enabled through the contraction of these muscles. Therefore, motor skills are the various movement and actions of the bone structure. Additionally, these programs are an abstract presentation of movement that organizes and controls the degrees of freed in performing a specific task (Wymbs, Bastian & Celnik, 2016).
A typical example of a general motor program is the human being walking pattern. Walking is the process of using your human leg to change position form one place to another and move forward or backward. This type of general Motor Program (GMP) can be shown in two different skills. They include; the slow walking skill and the running process. However, it must be noted that the two types of movement have a sequence of muscle movements in the body.
Muscles Used
Slow Walking
Slow walking is the regular use of the leg to change position slowly and steadily without any rush. Various muscles are used in the process of slow walking. The quadriceps are mainly the most massive muscles in the body. Quadriceps are located at the front of the thigh and hold a significant function in the process of walking. Through their contraction, they raise and push the thigh and leg forwards. The glute or buttocks muscles, there are the most massive muscles that aid in extending the leg. They are mainly involved in the slowing down the leg as the foot hits the ground. The back muscles also referred to as the spinae muscles. They are used in the process of stabilizing the body during the walking process. Hamstrings, they for the back of the thigh and move your leg backward (Meyer et al., 2016).
Running
Running involves the same process of walking; however, there is a faster movement of the body. Muscles used in this process are somewhat different compared to walking. One of the major muscles involved in walking include the quadriceps, as earlier suggested, they are used in the process of lifting and pushing the legs and thigh forward. It also aids in the straightening of the knee while running. Quadriceps muscles consist of The Vastus Medialis, Intermedius, Lateralus, and Rectus Femoris. The gastrocnemius muscles are also used in the process; they are superficial two-headed muscles that are located in the back part of the lower leg. Their primary function is to plantar flexing of the foot, mainly at the ankle and knee joint. And are used in fast walking or running. Hamstring muscles, they include the biceps femoris: semitendinosus, and semimembranosus muscles. The hamstring muscles’ primary functions are to aid in knee bending and flexing the knee (Rajagopal et al., 2016).
Muscle Activation and Deactivation
Walking
The contraction of muscles enables the movement of the body, this is initiated, controlled, and coordinated by the brain and the nervous system. In the process of walking, the involuntary muscles are controlled by structures deep in the brain, and the upper spinal cord referred to as the brain stem. On the other hand, voluntary muscles are controlled by the brain’s cerebral motor cortex. We a person wants to walk; the motor cortex sends an electrical signal through the peripheral nerves and spinal cord to the muscles. The energy produced by the ATP molecules leads to the contraction of the muscles. The sensors located in the muscles and joints send a signal back to the brain on how the leg is moving and the necessary potion needed. The brain sends a message back to leg muscles and leading to the movement (Leisman, Moustafa & Shafir, 2016). Deactivation of the muscles occurs when there is no nerve activity in the muscles. This is a result of calcium being pumped in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, causing a delinking of the actin and myosin, thus relaxing the muscles and their deactivation.
Running
The initialization of the running process is similar to the basic walking; this is because of the same parts of the brain control both the involuntary and voluntary muscles. Additionally, the activation and deactivation of the muscles are similar. However, muscle coordination and relation is different to a level. During the process of running, the quadriceps muscles in front of the thigs are the ones that are mainly used. They are used in the bending of the hip and straightening of the knee. Additionally, they stabilize the knee and absorb any shock as you land. Additionally, during the process of running, the abductor’s muscles contact to stop the pelvis from drooping towards the raised leg (Wells, Goodkin & Griesbach, 2015).
Thus, the brain at the two main sections i.e., the cerebral cortex or the brain stem activate and initiates the process of motor programs such as moving and, in this case, the process of walking. The main deactivation in walking or running is through the breaking of the actin and myosin link. Additionally, the never system stopping deactivated the process of movement. Moreover, there is an interrelation between the various human muscles in the body. They can be considered as a system that works together to fulfill a particular aspect.
Force of Contraction
Muscle contraction is the process where there is an activation of tension-generating sites within the muscle fibers. Contraction of the muscles does not necessarily mean the operation of the shortening of the flesh; however, it refers to the process where there is eminent muscle tension without any change in muscle length (Nishikawa, 2016). In a motor program such as walking, the muscles exist in such a state to optimize the force that is produced during contraction. In human anatomy, muscle contraction is triggered when an action potential is transmitted along the nerves to the muscles. Muscles contraction is initiated when the nervous system generates a signal referred to as the action potential. The signal travels through the nervous system on nerve cell types, referred to as the motor neuron. The signal is carried through to the neuromuscular junction, where the motor neuron then releases a chemical transmission message.
The motor neuron makes its way to the sarcomere, which then contacts, its contraction leads the myosin head to actin and form various cross-bridges. The thin filaments on the muscles slide over the thick filaments as the leaders pull the actin. This leads to the shortening of the sarcomere. This exacts some tension and thus leading to the process of muscle contacting. In our case, either in the process of walking or running, during the process of muscle contraction, the quadriceps muscles (main movement muscles in both methods) contact and extend to the knee joint, thus straightening the leg.
The process of muscle contraction leads not only in body movement; however, it also enables the process of changing one’s posture, joint firmness, and heat production. Skeletal muscles shift in length, which leads to the alteration of the active force through a varying degree of overlap. This leads to an active increase in the force of contraction.
Duration of muscle contraction
One single action potential i.e. transmission of the signal from the motor neuron will develop a single contraction in the muscle’s fiber of the certain muscle unit. This isolated contraction is also referred to as a twitch. A twitch can last for a few milliseconds or approximately 100 milliseconds depending on the type of muscle involved. Walking as a type of general motor program is categorized as having the eccentric contractions. This kind of contraction despite slow walks or running takes approximately 120 milliseconds.
In conclusion, general motor programs are an essential part to be studied in the human anatomy. Just like any program, this is also perfected through the art of more practicing and developing/sharpening the skills. Additionally, the various motor programs aid in the generation of a sequence of movement and change of location in the body system. As researched, body motion is archived through the art and sequence of using the body muscles and muscular fiber. Despite the type of general motor program, these structures play an important role. General programs can be explained in different sections as seen in our example of walking where a person can walk slowly or choose to run. However, despite the processes being different, they involve the use of the same procedure of legs. Muscles contraction and relaxation enable the constant movement and change in position. It must be also noted that the motor programs hold major benefits to the body. Constant participation in intense motor programs as walking and running aid in the loss of weight and reliving of stress. Additionally, they keeping the body in shape. Thus, general motor programs are a process and skill individuals develop overtime.
References
Blekhman, R., Goodrich, J., Huang, K., Sun, Q., Bukowski, R., & Bell, J. et al. (2015). Host genetic variation impacts microbiome composition across human body sites. Genome Biology, 16(1), 191. doi: 10.1186/s13059-015-0759-1
Bruno, A., Frost, W., & Humphries, M. (2015). Modular Deconstruction Reveals the Dynamical and Physical Building Blocks of a Locomotion Motor Program. Neuron, 86(1), 304-318. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.03.005
Leisman, G., Moustafa, A., & Shafir, T. (2016). Thinking, Walking, Talking: Integratory Motor and Cognitive Brain Function. Frontiers In Public Health, 4. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2016.00094
Meyer, A., Eskinazi, I., Jackson, J., Rao, A., Patten, C., & Fregly, B. (2016). Muscle Synergies Facilitate Computational Prediction of Subject-Specific Walking Motions. Frontiers In Bioengineering And Biotechnology, 4. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2016.00077
Nishikawa, K. (2016). Eccentric contraction: unraveling mechanisms of force enhancement and energy conservation. The Journal Of Experimental Biology, 219(2), 189-196. doi: 10.1242/jeb.124057
Rajagopal, A., Dembia, C., DeMers, M., Delp, D., Hicks, J., & Delp, S. (2016). Full-Body Musculoskeletal Model for Muscle-Driven Simulation of Human Gait. IEEE Transactions On Biomedical Engineering, 63(10), 2068-2079. doi: 10.1109/tbme.2016.2586891
Wells, E., Goodkin, H., & Griesbach, G. (2015). Challenges in Determining the Role of Rest and Exercise in the Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal Of Child Neurology, 31(1), 86-92. doi: 10.1177/0883073815570152
Wymbs, N., Bastian, A., & Celnik, P. (2016). Motor Skills Are Strengthened through Reconsolidation. Current Biology, 26(3), 338-343. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.11.066