Myofascial force transmission in dynamic muscle conditions: effects of dynamic shortening of a single head of multi-tendoned rat extensor digitorum longus muscle

This study investigated the effects of myofascial force transmission during dynamic shortening of head III of rat extensor digitorum longus muscle (EDL III). The anterior crural compartment was left intact. Force was measured simultaneously at the distal EDL III tendon, the proximal EDL tendon and the distal tendons of tibialis anterior and extensor hallucis longus muscles (TA+EHL). Two types of distal shortening of EDL III were studied: (1) sinusoidal shortening (2 mm) and (2) isokinetic shortening (8 mm). Sinusoidal shortening of EDL III caused a decrease in force exerted at the distal tendon of EDL III: from 0.58 (0.08) N to 0.26 (0.04) N. In contrast, hardly any changes in proximal EDL force and distal TA+EHL force were found. Maximal concentric force exerted at the distal tendon of EDL III was higher than maximal isometric force expected on the basis of the physiological cross-sectional area of EDL III muscle fibers (Maas et al. 2003). Therefore, a substantial fraction of this force must originate from sources other than muscle fibers of EDL III. Isokinetic shortening of EDL III caused high changes in EDL III force from 0.97 (0.15) N to zero. In contrast, changes in proximal EDL force were much smaller: from 2.44 (0.25) N to 1.99 (0.19) N. No effects on TA+EHL force could be shown. These results are explained in terms of force transmission between the muscle belly of EDL III and adjacent tissues. Thus, also in dynamic muscle conditions, muscle fiber force is transmitted via myofascial pathways. © Springer-Verlag 2005