Here's something I've been pondering about, but not found a solution
to if anyone can guide me.
What will happen when you place pressure on a tendon for a short
period of time?
As far as the muscle spindle is concerned, the tendon is being
stretched, which is relayed to the spindle, and (in this situation)
will cause the static nuclear bag (bag 2) and nucelar chain to
ultimately have an excitatory effect on the agonist, and an inhibitory
effect on the antagonist.
However, you are placing pressure directly onto the tendon, and will
therefore (due to its structure) invite a response from the GTO. It
will ultimately produce an inhibitory effect on the agonist, and an
excitatory effect on the antagonist.
2 different systems exposed to the same stimuli having opposite
effects on the same muscle groups. Which system would 'win out' over
the other? (I presume that if it were prolonged pressure, i.e. for a
few minutes, that the GTO's inhibitory effect on the agonist would be
manifested - for example take the effect on the knee extensors after
kneeling for a while).
Just an interesting thought, and nothing I've been able to find a
satisfactory answer to as yet.
If you've got a good grounding in neuroanatomy, now's your time to let
us all know. Either that or I've overlooked an obvious answer and I'm
the odd-man-out on this list.
Luke Harris,
2nd year PT Student (Curtin).
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