This paper is only available as a PDF. To read, Please Download here.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine force—length relations of intact human
gastrocnemius muscles experimentally. Changes in maximal active isometric forces of
the gastrocnemius muscle were calculated from resultant ankle joint moments of carefully
executed maximal effort contractions at systematically changing knee and ankle joint
configurations. Changes in muscle lengths were obtained using second-order polynomial
regression equations that relate the length of the gastrocnemius muscle—tendon unit
to knee and ankle joint angles. From these changes in muscle lengths, changes in muscle
fibre lengths were estimated based on assumptions about fibre structure and series
elastic properties. The results indicate that intact human gastrocnemius muscles operate
on the ascending limb of the force—length relation, and that passive forces are minimal
within a normal range of ankle and knee joint configurations.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Clinical BiomechanicsAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- A mathematical model for evaluation of forces in lower extremities of the musculoskeletal system.J Biomech. 1973; 6: 313-326
- A complete set of control equations for the human musculoskeletal system.J Biomech. 1977; 10: 799-805
- Determining muscle forces in the leg during normal human gait — an application and evaluation of optimization methods.J Biomech Eng. 1984; 100: 72-78
- Optimization of muscle force sequencing in human locomotion.Math Biosci. 1978; 38: 57-76
- A physiologically based criterion of muscle force prediction in locomotion.J Biomech. 1981; 14: 793-802
- Muscular synergism — II. A minimum-fatigue criterion for load sharing between synergistic muscles.J Biomech. 1984; 17: 675-684
- Individual muscle force estimations using a non-linear optimal design.J Neurosci Methods. 1987; 21: 167-179
- Biomechanical model calculation of muscle contraction forces: a double linear programming method.J Biomech. 1988; 21: 59-66
- Die Laenge and die Spannung des Muskels.Scand Arch Physiol. 1891; 3: 295-318
- The variation in isometric tension with sarcomere length in vertebrate muscle fibres.J Physiol (Lond). 1966; 184: 170-192
- Length dependence of activation of skinned muscle fibers by calcium.in: Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol. 37. 1972: 505-510
- The sarcomere length-tension relation in skeletal muscle.J Gen Physiol. 1978; 72: 565-592
- The effects of length and stimulus rate on tension in the isometric cat soleus muscle.J Physiol. 1969; 204: 443-460
- Influence of muscle architecture on the length-force diagram of mammalian muscle.Pflugers Arch. 1983; 399: 275-279
- Force-length relation of in-vivo human rectus femoris muscles.Pflugers Arch. 1988; 411: 642-647
- Human strength curves.in: Terjung R.L. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews. The Collamore Press, Lexington1984: 417-466
- An interpretation of the strength differences associated with varying angles of pull.Res Q. 1965; 36: 403-412
- Isometric knee extension strength as a function of joint angle, muscle length and motor unit activity.Acta Orthop Scand. 1972; 43: 138-147
- The effect of limb position in the seated subject on ability to utilize the maximum contractile force of the limb muscles.J Physiol (Lond). 1947; 105: 332-346
- Knee extension measurement of the isometric force in different positions of the knee joint.Acta Orthop Scand. 1969; 40: 79-85
- A model of human triceps surae muscle-tendon complex applied to jumping.J Biomech. 1986; 19: 887-898
- Muscle structure and theories of contraction.Prog Biophys. 1957; 7: 255-318
- Theoretical determination of force-length relations of intact human skeletal muscles using the cross-bridge model.Pflugers Arch. 1990; 416: 113-119
- A method for the determination of the force-length relation of selected in-vivo human skeletal muscles.Pflugers Arch. 1988; 411: 637-641
- The relation between the resultant moments at a joint and the moments measured by an isokinetic dynamometer.J Biomech. 1988; 21: 5-12
- Prediction of Gastrocnemius Length from Knee and Ankle Posture.in: Biomechanics VI-A. University Park Press, Baltimore1978: 405-412
- Architecture of the human gastrocnemius muscle and some functional consequences.Acta Anat. 1985; 123: 101-107
- Strength of Biological Materials.in: Williams and Wilkins Co, Baltimore1970: 100
- Tendon series elasticity in triceps surae muscles of mammalians.in: Perren S.M. Schneider E. Biomechanics: Current Interdisciplinary Research. Martinus Nijhoff, Dordrecht, Dodrecht1985: 623-628
- Isokinetic and static plantar flexion characteristics.Eur J Appl Physiol. 1980; 45: 221-234
- Influence of joint position on ankle plantarflexion in humans.J Appl Physiol: Respirat Environ Exerc Physiol. 1982; 52: 1636-1642
- An ultrasound method to determine muscle structure.in: Proc Am Soc Biomech. 12. 1988: 208-209
- Muscle architecture of the human lower limb.Clin Orthop. 1983; 179: 275-283
- I-segment lengths and thin filament periods in skeletal muscle fibers of the Rhesus monkey and the human.Anat Rec. 1973; 178: 63-82
- The range of sarcomere lengths in the muscles of the human lower limb.J Anat. 1988; 160: 79-88
- A model of semitendinosus muscle sarcomere length, knee and hip joint interaction in the frog hindlimb.J Biomech. 1990; 23: 271-279
- Force-length relations of in situ cat gastrocnemius muscles.in: Proc Canad Soc Biomech. 6. 1990: 143-144
- A laser diffraction method for measuring muscles sarcomere length in vivo for application to tendon transfers.J Hand Surg. 1985; 10A: 542-546
- Simulation of tendon transfer surgery.Eng Med. 1985; 14: 31-38
- Locomotor patterns in cerebral palsy: A strategy for evaluation and treatment.in: Proc Canad Soc Biomech. 5. 1988: 18-19
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 29,
1991
Received:
July 17,
1990
Identification
Copyright
© 1991 Published by Elsevier Inc.