Similarity in shape, timing and amplitude of H- and T-reflex potentials concurrently recorded along the broad skin area over soleus muscle.

Variations in shape, timing and amplitude of both mono- and bipolarly measured H- and T-reflex potentials can be influenced to a great extent by the muscle architecture and the peculiarities of the extracellular potential field. The "best point" for bipolar measurements, where the amplitude of the bipolar H- and T-potentials is maximal, occurred for the various subjects at a distance of 3.0 to 5.0 cm below the insertion of the gastrocnemii on the Achilles tendon. In contrast, the corresponding "best point" for monopolar H- and T-potentials is located 5.0 to 9.0 cm below the gastrocnemii insertion. The shape, total duration and timing of H- and T-potentials, concurrently measured at the various points along soleus muscle are similar. When the amplitude of the monopolar H- and T-potentials are levelled at the "best point" for monopolar measurements, the changes in the amplitude of both sets of potentials, monopolarly and bipolarly measured along soleus muscle, are identical. These results imply similar efferent outputs for both H- and T-reflexes, i.e. recruitment of motoneurons of comparable size.