The Recruitment Of Different Compartments Within A Muscle Depends On The Mechanics Of The Movement

Main Category: Veterinary
Also Included In: Biology / Biochemistry;  Sports Medicine / Fitness
Article Date: 08 Oct 2008 - 4:00 PDT


Muscles are commonly assumed to have uniform activations across their bellies. Yet animal studies have shown that different regions across a muscle can vary in their architecture, fibre-type, activation levels and the transfer of forces to the bones and tendons.

This study shows how variations in the magnitude and timing of activity occur across the gastrocnemius muscles in man and how these patterns of variation depend on the movement being performed.

It is likely that different regions of these muscles contribute varied mechanical functions to the contractions and this has important implications for how we consider that whole muscles act.

Royal Society journal Biology Letters

Biology Letters publishes short, innovative and cutting-edge research articles and opinion pieces accessible to scientists from across the biological sciences. The journal is characterised by stringent peer-review, rapid publication and broad dissemination of succinct high-quality research communications.

Biology Letters

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