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It is important that you have a basic understanding
of neuromuscular systems, slightly beyond what would have been covered
in your introductory biology and physiology courses. One of the reasons
is that neurorehab and musculoskeletal rehab are huge areas; another
is that we care about understanding the "human performance" side of human-technology
interfaces.
Your knowledge base should include both a
"systems" perspective on neuromotor and muscular phenomena, and a core
knowledge of key terminology. As one of many resources in this area,
see my chapter Terminology
and Foundations of Movement Science [as Word
doc (576K) or htm (371K)],
which was Chapter 1 of a 47-chapter book that I edited,
entitled Biomechanics and Neural Control of Posture and Movement (Springer-Verlag,
2000). Specifically, if you do not have a background in movement science
principles and terminology,
consider
scanning the chapter so as to understand the following words that are
in bold within the text:
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Section 2 on
Systems: system, input, output, state variables, SISO system,
MIMO system, unidirectional, action potential, twitch response, impulse
response, tetanus, step response, bidirectional, isokinetic, isotonic,
isometric, contractile element, series element, parallel element, constitutive
relations, nonlinear, operating range, energy dissipating elements,
muscle power
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Section 3 on
Musculoskeletal Mechanics: eccentric, concentric, stretch-shortening,
origin, insertion, actuator, moment arm, multiarticular, synergist,
antagonist, kinematics, rigid body, serial chain, four bar linkage,
axis of rotation, planar, spatial, generalized joint, constrained,
restrained, velocity, acceleration, jerk, kinematic redundancy, forward
kinematics, inverse kinematics, static equilibrium, quasi-static, statically
determinant, statically indeterminant, stable equilibrium, dynamics,
mass moment of inertia, anthropometric tables, equations of motion,
inverse dynamics, forward dynamics.
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Section 4 on
Neuromotor Terminology & Function: sensory neurons, motor neurons,
interneurons, muscle cells, motor pool, motor unit, motor end-plate
(neuromuscular junction), slow-twitch (type 1) fibers, fast-fatigable
(type 2b), fast-fatigue-resistant (type 2a), orderly recruitment, size
principle, firing rate, pennation angle, aponeurosis.
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Section 6 on
Neural Control: Negative feedback, feedback control, unstable,
parameters, signals, adaptive control system, synaptic weights, impedance
control.
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Neuromechanical "Systems"
Foundations of Rehabilitation Science