Muscle and tendon contributions to force, work, and elastic energy savings: a comparative perspective.
Muscle-tendon architecture underlies muscle function. Whereas muscles generally contribute most to mechanical work, tendons provide the majority of elastic energy savings. Isometric or eccentric contractions enhance force and further reduce energy cost. However, elastic savings is probably constrained by the need to reduce compliance for accurate control of position.
Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Bedford, Massachusetts 01730, USA. abiewener@oeb.harvard.edu
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D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D013710:Tendons / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D016474:Weight-Bearing