Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine force-length relations of selected human skeletal muscles, based on the theoretical foundations of the cross-bridge model and to calculate a strength curve for knee extension from these relations. Force-length relations were determined for the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius and gastrocnemius muscles, using sarcomere/ fiber length data form both legs of four cadavers and sarcomere geometry data reported in the literature. It appears that the two-joint muscles investigated in this study are not able to produce force throughout their full anatomical range of motion, whereas the one-joint muscles can. The strength curve for knee extension was determined as the sum of the force-length relations of the individual knee extensor muscles and showed good agreement with experimentally obtained knee extensor strength curves.
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Herzog, W., Abrahamse, S.K. & ter Keurs, H.E.D.J. Theoretical determination of force-length relations of intact human skeletal muscles using the cross-bridge model. Pflügers Arch 416, 113–119 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00370231
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00370231