[1] This concept, introduced by Charles Sherrington, a pioneering neuroscientist, is also referred to as reflexive antagonism in some allied health fields.
This mechanism, known as reciprocal inhibition, is essential for efficient movement and helps prevent muscle strain by balancing forces around a joint.
[2] Joints are controlled by two opposing sets of muscles called extensors and flexors, that work in synchrony for smooth movement.
This may occur during physical activities such as running, during which opposing muscles engage and disengage sequentially to produce coordinated movement.
As the body ages, the control of voluntary inhibition decreases in conjunction with the torque of the synapse as joints stiffen and their motor output is reduced.