Functional Neurology - Movement reflexes and their significance for athletes and patients

The nervous system uses visual, vestibular and proprioceptive data to move. The optimal movement is designed from this data, carried out and, if necessary, corrected immediately if there are any problems. While this current, situation-related data is extremely important for precise movement, the movements are not put together from scratch each time, but are probably based much more on existing, partly innate movement patterns in the sense of reflexes, such as the step pattern.

This movement pattern can be triggered in a newborn through contact with the soles of the feet. But not only the so-called stepping reflex, but also other movements such as turning movements or stretching and bending movements are already present in early childhood. In addition, there are numerous protective reflexes that serve to protect the body from injury, just think of the abdominal wall reflex when firmly stroking the middle of the body.

Although movement reflexes are often referred to as early childhood reflexes, which - or so we have all learned - disappear after a certain period of time, the specific patterns of muscle function in certain movements can be functionally tested at any age. Certain muscles are facilitated in certain directions of movement, while others are inhibited.

For example, extension of the cervical spine normally leads to inhibition of the hip flexors and facilitation of the hip extensors. This difference in muscle control can be clearly tested and applies to all ages. This means that movement patterns can not only be specifically examined functionally, but disturbances in the patterns can also be specifically treated through targeted activation of the nervous system.