Physiological cost of negative muscular work in humans and in isolated muscles: a search for mechanism
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: It is easier to walk downhill than uphill. When walking uphill, muscles are shortening and doing work. When walking downhill, the same muscles are stretched. Why do lengthening contractions utilize less energy than shortening contractions generating the same speed and force? The key to answering this question is that muscle fibers that are stretched generate more force than shortening muscle fibers while using less energy. Thus, to generate an equal amount of positive and negative work requires activation of more shortening muscle fibers utilizing more energy per fiber than fibers being stretched.
Author: Jack A. Rall
Institution: The Ohio State University
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4416755840