Name: Tehreem Muqadas
Roll no: 26363
Subject: kinesiology
Department: DPT
Semester: 2nd
Topic: Involuntary Movement
Submitted to:Dr SahreenAnwar
Involuntary movement:
Reflex movement:
Definition:
A reflex is an involuntary nearly instantaneous movement in response to
a stimulus. The reflex is an automatic response to a stimulus that does not
receive or need conscious thought as it occurs through a reflex arc. Reflex
arcs act on an impulse before that impulse reaches the brain.
For example:
• For example, if you put your hand on a hot stove, a reflex
causes you to immediately remove your hand before a "Hey,
this is hot!" message even gets to your brain.
• Other protective reflexes are blinking when something flies
toward your eyes or raising your arm if a ball is thrown your
way
The reflex Arc:
• A reflex arc is a neural pathway that controls a reflex. In vertebrates, most sensory
neurons do not pass directly into the brain, but synapse in the spinal cord. This
allows for faster reflex actions to occur by activating spinal motor neurons without
the delay of routing signals through the brain. The brain will receive the input
while the reflex is being carried out and the analysis of the signal takes place after
the reflex action.
• There are two types: autonomic reflex arc (affecting inner organs)
and somatic reflex arc (affecting muscles). Autonomic reflexes sometimes involve
the spinal cord and some somatic reflexes are mediated more by the brain than
the spinal cord
• During a somatic reflex, nerve signals travel along the following pathway:
1. Somatic receptors in the skin, muscles and tendons
2. Afferent nerve fibers carry signals from the somatic receptors to the posterior horn of the
spinal cord or to the brainstem
3. An integrating center, the point at which the neurons that compose the gray matter of the
spinal cord or brainstem synapse
4. Efferent nerve fibers carry motor nerve signals from the anterior horn to the muscles
5. Effector muscle innervated by the efferent nerve fiber carries out the response.
• A reflex arc, then, is the pathway followed by nerves which carry sensory
information from the receptor to the spinal cord, and then carry the response
generated by the spinal cord to effector organs during a reflex action. The
pathway taken by the nerve impulse to accomplish a reflex action is called the
reflex arc.
The Strech Reflex:
• The stretch reflex (myotatic reflex), or more accurately "muscle stretch
reflex", is a muscle contraction in response to stretching within the muscle .
The reflex functions to maintain the muscle at a constant length. The
term deep tendon reflex is often wrongfully used by many health workers
and students to refer to this reflex. "Tendons have little to do with the
response, other than being responsible for mechanically transmitting the
sudden stretch from the reflex hammer to the muscle spindle.
• In addition, some muscles with stretch reflexes have no tendons (e.g., "jaw
jerk" of the masseter muscle)".
The patellar reflex is an example of the stretch reflex.
• The stretch reflex can be a monosynaptic reflex
• The stretch reflex is designed as a protective mechanism, to
prevent strain and tear injuries to the muscles and tendons.
• When the muscle spindle is excited an impulse is immediately
received to contract the muscle, thereby protecting it from being
pulled forcefully or stretched beyond a normal range of motion.
The Righting Reflexes:
• The righting reflex is a reflex that corrects the orientation of the body when it
is taken out of its normal upright position.
• It is initiated by the vestibular system, which detects that the body is not erect
and causes the head to move back into position as the rest of the body follows.
• This keeps the body oriented with respect to the ground
or surface regardless of the position of the head. This is
necessary for the development of the rotary components
of movement and for developing higher skills for
assuming the sitting and quadruped position.
• The reflex takes 6 or 7 weeks to perfect, but can be affected by various types
of balance disorders.
• The righting reflex has also been studied in cats and other non-human
mammals. See: cat righting reflex
The Postural Reflexes:
• Postural reflexes are complex motor responses that
provide automatic control of posture, balance, and
coordination.
• They are characterized by a certain stereotyped posture of
the trunk, head, and extremities when the examiner
attempts a defined and sudden change of position.
• This reflex is essential for activities such as walking,
running and even sitting.
• As it helps maintain stability and prevent injury.
Effects and Uses of Reflex Movement:
• Circulation improved .
• Relaxation of spastic toned muscles temporarily.
• Promoting the neuromascular mechanism.
• Relaxation of spastic toned muscles temporarily.
• Promote activity.
• Normal joint movement.
Thank You
