Relevance of the force-velocity relationship in the activation of mono- and Bi-articular muscles in slow arm movements in humans

• Published in: Motor control 2000-10, Vol.4 (4), p.420-438
• Main Authors: Welter, T G, Bobbert, M F, van Bolhuis, B M, Gielen, S C, Rozendaal, L A, Veeger, D H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Arm - physiology; Biomechanical Phenomena; Elbow Joint - physiology; Electromyography; Humans; Male; Models, Biological; Movement - physiology; Muscle Contraction - physiology; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; Shoulder Joint - physiology
• ISSN: 1087-1640; 1543-2696
• DOI: 10.1123/mcj.4.4.420

We have investigated whether differences in EMG activity in mono- and bi-articular muscles for concentric and eccentric contractions (van Bolhuis, Gielen, & van Ingen Schenau, 1998) have to be attributed to a specific muscle coordination strategy or whether they are merely a demonstration of adaptations necessary to adjust for muscle contractile properties. Slow, multi-joint arm movements were studied in a horizontal plane with an external force applied at the wrist. Kinematics and electromyography data from 10 subjects were combined with data from a 3-D model of the arm and a Hill-type muscle model. Data for both mono- and bi-articular muscles revealed a higher activation in concentric than in eccentric contractions. The model calculations indicated that the measured difference in activation (20%) was much larger than expected based on the force-velocity relationship (predicting changes of approximately 5%). Although these findings eliminate the force-velocity relationship as the main explanation for changes in EMG, it cannot be ruled out that other muscle contractile properties, such as history dependence of muscle force, determine muscle activation levels in the task that was studied.