Learning Objectives
- Explain the length-tension relationship
- Define the motor unit
- Draw a typical muscle twitch and describe how each period within the twitch is produced
- Define treppe and discuss two mechanistic causes
- Explain how increasing frequency of stimulation increases tension
- Define wave summation and unfused (incomplete) and fused (complete) tetanus,
using diagrams to show the relative waveforms
- Describe how recruitment of multiple motor units increases tension
- Compare and contrast isotonic and isometric contractions, including a description of concentric vs. eccentric isotonic contractions
- Compare and contrast fibre types, relating their properties to different athletic
pursuits
Muscle Tension & Motor Units
- how do muscle fibres create tension?
- what does the amount of tension generated depend on?
- what is the length-tension relationship?
- what is a motor unit?
- within a single muscle, are motor units recruited synchronously or asynchronously?
- why does muscle fatigue occur when stimulus intensity is higher?
Muscle Twitch