|
| |
|
|
|
|
||||
| Home Help Feedback Subscriptions Archive Search Table of Contents | ||||
Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 199, Issue 4 801-814, Copyright © 1996 by Company of Biologists
JOURNAL ARTICLES |
BI Prilutsky, W Herzog and TL Allinger
Human Performance Laboratory, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Electrical activity, forces, power and work of the soleus (SO), the gastrocnemius (GA) and the plantaris (PL) muscles were measured during locomotion in the cat in order to study the functional role of these ankle extensor muscles. Forces and electrical activity (EMG) of the three muscles were measured using home-made force transducers and bipolar, indwelling wire electrodes, respectively, for walking and trotting at speeds of 0.4 to 1.8 m s-1 on a motor-driven treadmill. Video records and a geometrical model of the cat hindlimb were used for calculating the rates of change in lengths of the SO, GA and PL muscles. The instantaneous maximum possible force that can be produced by a muscle at a given fibre length and the rate of change in fibre length (termed contractile abilities) were estimated for each muscle throughout the step cycle. Fibre lengths of the SO, GA and PL were calculated using a planar, geometrical muscle model, measured muscle forces and kinematics, and morphological measurements from the animal after it had been killed. Mechanical power and work of SO, GA and PL were calculated for 144 step cycles. The contribution of the positive work done by the ankle extensor muscles of one hindlimb to the increase of the total mechanical energy of the body (estimated from values in the literature) increased from 4-11% at speeds of locomotion of 0.4 and 0.8 m s-1 to 7-16% at speeds of 1.2 m s-1 and above. The relative contributions of the negative and positive work to the total negative and positive work done by the three ankle extensor muscles increased for GA, decreased for SO and remained about the same for PL, with increasing speeds of locomotion. At speeds of 0.4-0.8 m s-1, the positive work normalized to muscle mass was 7.5-11.0 J kg-1, 1.9-3.0 J kg-1 and 5.3-8.4 J kg-1 for SO, GA and PL, respectively. At speeds of 1.2-1.8 m s-1, the corresponding values were 9.8-16.7 J kg-1, 6.0-10.7 J kg-1 and 13.4-25.0 J kg-1. Peak forces of GA and PL increased and peak forces of SO did not change substantially with increasing speeds of locomotion. The time of decrease of force and the time of decrease of power after peak values had been achieved were much shorter for SO than the corresponding times for GA and PL at fast speeds of locomotion. The faster decrease in the force and power of SO compared with GA and PL was caused by the fast decrease of the contractile abilities and the activation of SO. The results of this study suggest that the ankle extensor muscles play a significant role in the generation of mechanical energy for locomotion.
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati 
Twitter What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  M. A. Daley, A. Voloshina, and A. A. Biewener The role of intrinsic muscle mechanics in the neuromuscular control of stable running in the guinea fowl J. Physiol., June 1, 2009; 587(11): 2693 - 2707. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. G. McGillivray, T. Garland Jr, E. M. Dlugosz, M. A. Chappell, and D. A. Syme Changes in efficiency and myosin expression in the small-muscle phenotype of mice selectively bred for high voluntary running activity J. Exp. Biol., April 1, 2009; 212(7): 977 - 985. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H. Maas, R. J. Gregor, E. F. Hodson-Tole, B. J. Farrell, and B. I. Prilutsky Distinct muscle fascicle length changes in feline medial gastrocnemius and soleus muscles during slope walking J Appl Physiol, April 1, 2009; 106(4): 1169 - 1180. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. M. Carroll, D. V. Lee, and A. A. Biewener Differential muscle function between muscle synergists: long and lateral heads of the triceps in jumping and landing goats (Capra hircus) J Appl Physiol, October 1, 2008; 105(4): 1262 - 1273. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. E. Higham and A. A. Biewener Integration within and between muscles during terrestrial locomotion: effects of incline and speed J. Exp. Biol., July 15, 2008; 211(14): 2303 - 2316. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
F. E. Nelson and T. J. Roberts Task-dependent force sharing between muscle synergists during locomotion in turkeys J. Exp. Biol., April 15, 2008; 211(8): 1211 - 1220. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. E Higham, A. A Biewener, and J. M Wakeling Functional diversification within and between muscle synergists during locomotion Biol Lett, February 23, 2008; 4(1): 41 - 44. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. M. Gabaldon, F. E. Nelson, and T. J. Roberts Relative shortening velocity in locomotor muscles: turkey ankle extensors operate at low V/Vmax Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, January 1, 2008; 294(1): R200 - R210. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. F. Hodson-Tole and J. M. Wakeling Variations in motor unit recruitment patterns occur within and between muscles in the running rat (Rattus norvegicus) J. Exp. Biol., July 1, 2007; 210(13): 2333 - 2345. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. B. Gillis, J. P. Flynn, P. McGuigan, and A. A. Biewener Patterns of strain and activation in the thigh muscles of goats across gaits during level locomotion J. Exp. Biol., December 15, 2005; 208(24): 4599 - 4611. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. F. Hoyt, S. J. Wickler, A. A. Biewener, E. A. Cogger, and K. L. De La Paz In vivo muscle function vs speed I. Muscle strain in relation to length change of the muscle-tendon unit J. Exp. Biol., March 15, 2005; 208(6): 1175 - 1190. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. M. Norenberg and R. H. Fitts Contractile responses of the rat gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to isotonic resistance exercise J Appl Physiol, December 1, 2004; 97(6): 2322 - 2332. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. M. Gabaldon, F. E. Nelson, and T. J. Roberts Mechanical function of two ankle extensors in wild turkeys: shifts from energy production to energy absorption during incline versus decline running J. Exp. Biol., June 1, 2004; 207(13): 2277 - 2288. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. M. Donelan, R. Kram, and A. D. Kuo Mechanical work for step-to-step transitions is a major determinant of the metabolic cost of human walking J. Exp. Biol., December 1, 2002; 205(23): 3717 - 3727. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. N. Ahn and R. J. Full A motor and a brake: two leg extensor muscles acting at the same joint manage energy differently in a running insect J. Exp. Biol., February 1, 2002; 205(3): 379 - 389. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. B. Gillis and A. A. Biewener Hindlimb muscle function in relation to speed and gait: in vivo patterns of strain and activation in a hip and knee extensor of the rat (Rattus norvegicus) J. Exp. Biol., January 8, 2001; 204(15): 2717 - 2731. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Marsh How muscles deal with real-world loads: the influence of length trajectory on muscle performance J. Exp. Biol., January 12, 1999; 202(23): 3377 - 3385. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. E. Dunn, A. R. Simard, R. Bassel-Duby, R. S. Williams, and R. N. Michel Nerve Activity-dependent Modulation of Calcineurin Signaling in Adult Fast and Slow Skeletal Muscle Fibers J. Biol. Chem., November 21, 2001; 276(48): 45243 - 45254. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
