Gastrocnemius muscle length in relation to knee and ankle joint angles: Verification of a geometric model and some applications

Ettema, Gertjan

doi:10.1002/(sici)1097-0185(199701)247:1<1::aid-ar1>3.0.co;2-3

Cited by 20 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…The force-length characteristics in situ and morphological data of isolated rat GM (Zuurbier & Huijing, 1993) and GM length changes measured in our study reveal that the GM has the capability of generating high forces. This observation is in agreement with predictions for force capabilities of GM in vivo by Ettema (1997) as GM had muscle lengths in vivo close to its optimum muscle length in situ. Interestingly, the rat tibialis anterior muscle (dorsiflexor) also generates nearly maximum force values over the normal range of motion (Hawkins & Bey, 1997), but cat plantar flexor muscles seem to operate on the ascending and descending limbs (Herzog et al 1992).…”

Section: Multipositional Isometric Contractionssupporting

confidence: 88%

“…Interestingly, the rat tibialis anterior muscle (dorsiflexor) also generates nearly maximum force values over the normal range of motion (Hawkins & Bey, 1997), but cat plantar flexor muscles seem to operate on the ascending and descending limbs (Herzog et al 1992). Ettema (1997) used a geometrical model to predict the length of the GM from knee and ankle angles and found that GM in vivo produces more than 80% of its optimum force with the knee at 1·57 rad and the ankle between 0·79 and 2·01 rad -the range used in this study. If the characteristics of isolated GM in situ resemble those of isolated GL in situ and both muscles show similar length changes in vivo, the isometric force-position relationship of ankle plantar flexor muscles in intact rats of the present study is consistent with the force-length data of the isolated GM in situ (i.e.…”

Section: Multipositional Isometric Contractionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Isometric and concentric performance of electrically stimulated ankle plantar flexor muscles in intact rat

Willems¹,

Stauber²

1999

Exp. Physiol.

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summaryThe relationship between muscle force and ankle position during isometric and pre-loaded slow concentric contractions (angular velocity, 0·52 rad s¢; range of motion, 1·22 rad) and the recovery of isometric force following concentric contractions at different velocities were determined for electrically stimulated plantar flexor muscles in intact rats. Pre-loaded refers to the isometric contraction which immediately precedes the concentric contraction. Ankle position was controlled by a dynamometer and force was recorded under the sole of the foot. The peak isometric force (19·2 N) was nearly constant at all ankle positions (range of motion, 1·57 rad). The muscle length and distal fibre length of gastrocnemius medialis at ankle positions between 0·79 rad and 2·01 rad were increased by 12·6% and 20·3%, respectively. During slow concentric contractions, the force progressively decreased (23·1 ± 2·1%); the force decreased by only 6·3 ± 0·9% during sustained isometric contractions of similar duration (3400 ms). The recovery of isometric force following concentric contractions with similar stimulation frequencies (80 Hz) was velocity dependent (i.e. more rapid at higher velocities). It is concluded that pre-loaded slow concentric contractions of the plantar flexor muscles in intact rats do not follow the same relationship as that of isometric force and ankle position. Our results in intact rats show that the force output of electrically stimulated ankle plantar flexor muscles measured under the sole of the foot can be used to study the physiological properties of skeletal muscle working in situ.

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Section: Multipositional Isometric Contractionssupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Multipositional Isometric Contractionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Isometric and concentric performance of electrically stimulated ankle plantar flexor muscles in intact rat

Willems¹,

Stauber²

1999

Exp. Physiol.

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“…The simulation prescribed experimental joint angles measured from a subject walking on a treadmill. The subject was a healthy male (height 1.83 m, mass 65.9 kg) who walked continuously at a self-selected speed of 1.36 m s 21 . The positions of 41 markers [40] were measured using a six-camera motion capture system (Motion Analysis Corporation, Santa Rosa, CA, USA).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…large ratio of tendon slack length to optimal muscle fibre length [5,20]). It is important to note that without measurements of sarcomere length, previous studies of lower limb muscles could only roughly approximate fibre operating lengths [21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fibre operating lengths of human lower limb muscles during walking

Arnold

Delp

2011

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

111

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Muscles actuate movement by generating forces. The forces generated by muscles are highly dependent on their fibre lengths, yet it is difficult to measure the lengths over which muscle fibres operate during movement. We combined experimental measurements of joint angles and muscle activation patterns during walking with a musculoskeletal model that captures the relationships between muscle fibre lengths, joint angles and muscle activations for muscles of the lower limb. We used this musculoskeletal model to produce a simulation of muscle-tendon dynamics during walking and calculated fibre operating lengths (i.e. the length of muscle fibres relative to their optimal fibre length) for 17 lower limb muscles. Our results indicate that when musculotendon compliance is low, the muscle fibre operating length is determined predominantly by the joint angles and muscle moment arms. If musculotendon compliance is high, muscle fibre operating length is more dependent on activation level and force-length -velocity effects. We found that muscles operate on multiple limbs of the force -length curve (i.e. ascending, plateau and descending limbs) during the gait cycle, but are active within a smaller portion of their total operating range.

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“…Muscle-tendon unit length MTU lengths of LG muscle were estimated using the ankle-knee geometric model of the rat described by Ettema (1997). Inputs for the model were the low-pass filtered (third-order, zero-lag Butterworth, cut-off 20 Hz) ankle-knee joint angles and the tibia lengths (see Table 1).…”

Section: Temporal Stride Characteristics and Joint Anglesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Longitudinal and transversal displacements between triceps surae muscles during locomotion of the rat

Bernabei

Dieën

Maas

2017

Journal of Experimental Biology

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The functional consequences of differential muscle activation and contractile behavior between mechanically coupled synergists are still poorly understood. Even though synergistic muscles exert similar mechanical effects at the joint they span, differences in the anatomy, morphology and neural drive may lead to non-uniform contractile conditions. This study aimed to investigate the patterns of activation and contractile behavior of triceps surae muscles, to understand how these contribute to the relative displacement between the one-joint soleus (SO) and two-joint lateral gastrocnemius (LG) muscle bellies and their distal tendons during locomotion in the rat. In seven rats, muscle belly lengths and muscle activation during level and upslope trotting were measured by sonomicrometry crystals and electromyographic electrodes chronically implanted in the SO and LG. Length changes of muscle-tendon units (MTUs) and tendon fascicles were estimated based on joint kinematics and muscle belly lengths. Distances between implanted crystals were further used to assess longitudinal and transversal deformations of the intermuscular volume between the SO and LG. For both slope conditions, we observed differential timing of muscle activation as well as substantial differences in contraction speeds between muscle bellies (maximal relative speed 55.9 mm s −1 ). Muscle lengths and velocities did not differ significantly between level and upslope locomotion, only EMG amplitude of the LG was affected by slope. Relative displacements between SO and LG MTUs were found in both longitudinal and transversal directions, yielding an estimated maximal length change difference of 2.0 mm between their distal tendons. Such relative displacements may have implications for the force exchanged via intermuscular and intertendinous pathways.

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Gastrocnemius muscle length in relation to knee and ankle joint angles: Verification of a geometric model and some applications

Cited by 20 publications

References 20 publications

Isometric and concentric performance of electrically stimulated ankle plantar flexor muscles in intact rat

Isometric and concentric performance of electrically stimulated ankle plantar flexor muscles in intact rat

Fibre operating lengths of human lower limb muscles during walking

Longitudinal and transversal displacements between triceps surae muscles during locomotion of the rat

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