Published online Jan 14, 2022. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i2.397
Peer-review started: February 21, 2021
First decision: July 18, 2021
Revised: July 20, 2021
Accepted: December 9, 2021
Article in press: December 9, 2021
Published online: January 14, 2022
Processing time: 324 Days and 17.3 Hours
Muscle fatigue is a problem in rehabilitation, particularly in elderlies and patients with motor neuron diseases. There are high contradictions in the effectiveness of the used methods to decrease muscle fatigue during rehabilitation. They mainly concentrate on increasing rest periods, decreasing training load, or using an ascending intensity of manner of exercise. The training should focus on the newly discovered sensory system of muscle fatigue because of the important role of the sensory system in driving the motor system. Thus, this editorial provides insight on using proprioceptive training to enhance the sensory system of muscle fatigue.
Core Tip: Muscle fatigue is a major problem in rehabilitation. This editorial suggests the use of proprioceptive training in the management of muscle fatigue because it directly trains the sensory system of muscle fatigue which is the proprioceptors. This will enable the body to sense muscle fatigue and well respond to it. In addition, proprioceptive training can normalize and increase the firing rate of motor neurons through the renormalization of presynaptic inhibition and Ia muscle afferents. This could assist in increasing the number of calcium ions into the sarcoplasmic reticulum and skeletal muscles.