Size, History-Dependent, Activation and Three-Dimensional Effects on the Work and Power Produced During Cyclic Muscle Contractions

Abstract

Muscles undergo cycles of length change and force development during locomotion, and these contribute to their work and power production to drive body motion. Muscle fibres are typically considered to be linear actuators whose stress depends on their length, velocity, and activation state, and whose properties can be scaled up to explain the function of whole muscles. However, experimental and modelling studies have shown that a muscle's stress additionally depends on inactive and passive tissues within the muscle, the muscle's size, and its previous contraction history. These effects have not been tested under common sets of contraction conditions, especially the cyclic contractions that are typical of locomotion. Here we evaluate the relative effects of size, history-dependent, activation and three-dimensional effects on the work and power produced during cyclic contractions of muscle models. Simulations of muscle contraction were optimized to generate high power outputs: this resulted in the muscle models being largely active during shortening, and inactive during lengthening. As such, the history-dependent effects were dominated by force depression during simulated active shortening rather than force enhancement during active stretch. Internal work must be done to deform the muscle tissue, and to accelerate the internal muscle mass, resulting in reduced power and work that can be done on an external load. The effect of the muscle mass affects the scaling of muscle properties, with the inertial costs of contraction being relatively greater at larger sizes and lower activation levels.

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