M O TO R C ON T R OL

GROUP 3
INTRODUCTION
MOTOR SKILLS ARE TASKS THAT REQUIRE VOLUNTARY CONTROL OVER
MOVEMENTS OF THE JOINTS AND BODY SEGMENTS TO ACHIEVE A GOAL EG
RIDING A BICYCLE, WALKING, SURFING, JUMPING, RUNNING, AND
WEIGHTLIFTING. THE LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE OF THESE SKILLS ARE
WHAT MOVEMENT SCIENTISTS REFER TO AS MOTOR LEARNING AND CONTROL,
OR SKILL ACQUISITION. THE STUDY OF MOTOR LEARNING AND CONTROL PLAYS
AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN BOTH THE PERFORMANCE AND REHABILITATION OF
THESE SKILLS IN STROKE OR TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY REHABILITATION.
DEFINITION
MOTOR CONTROL IS DEFINED AS THE PROCESS OF INITIATING,
DIRECTING, AND GRADING PURPOSEFUL VOLUNTARY MOVEMENT.
SHUMWAY-COOK HAS DEFINED MOTOR CONTROL AS THE ABILITY
TO REGULATE MECHANISMS ESSENTIAL TO MOVEMENT.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
THE MOTOR CONTROL FUNCTIONS IN THE FOLLOWING WAY:
1. THE TASK THAT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED IS IDENTIFIED→ BODY GATHERS SENSORY
INFORMATION FROM THE ENVIRONMENT→ PERCEIVES THE INFORMATION→ CHOOSES A
MOVEMENT PLAN APPROPRIATE PLAN TO MEET THE GOAL OF THE TASK,
2. PLAN IS COORDINATED WITHIN THE CNS → EXECUTED THROUGH MOTOR NEURONS IN THE
BRAIN STEM AND SPINAL CORD → OUTCOME COMMUNICATED TO THE MUSCLES IN POSTURAL
AND LIMB SYNERGIES, AND IN THE HEAD AND NECK→ MOTOR UNITS TIMED TO FIRE IN A
SPECIFIC MANNER.
3. SENSORY FEEDBACK SUPPLIED TO THE CNS BY THE MOVEMENT → DECISION TAKEN TO (1)
MODIFY THE PLAN DURING EXECUTION, (2) ACKNOWLEDGE THE GOAL OF THE TASK TO BE
ACHIEVED, AND (3) STORE THE INFORMATION FOR FUTURE PERFORMANCE OF THE SAME TASK-
GOAL COMBINATION.
 ST A G E S O F
MO T O R C ON T R O L
ACCORDING TO FITTS AND POSNER MODEL