Papers, theses & manuscripts
click number for pdf access at the publisher (or email reprint requests)
32. Determinants of aponeurosis shape change during muscle contraction
31. Advances in the study of bat flight; the wing and the wind
30. Spring or string: does tendon elastic action influence wing muscle mechanics in bat flight?
29. A wrinkle in flight: the role of elastin fibers in the mechanical behaviour of bat wing membranes
28. The series elastic shock absorber: tendon compliance modulates muscular energy dissipation during burst deceleration
27. Hindlimb motion during steady flight of the lesser dog-faced fruitbat Cynopterus brachyotis
26. Membrane muscle function in the compliant wings of bats
25. How tendons buffer energy dissipation by muscle
24. Bite force is limited by the force–length relationship of skeletal muscle in black carp, Mylopharyngodon piceus
23. Are kissing gourami specialized for substrate-feeding?
22. Regional variation in length change of the infant pig geniohyoid muscle during suckling
21. Elastic modulus varies among tendons of the hindlimb muscles in wild turkeys
20. Muscle power attenuation by tendon during energy dissipation
19. Evolution of muscle activity patterns driving motions of the jaw and hyoid during chewing in gnathostomes
18. The concept of hyoid posture
17. Hyoid muscle activity during head movements in mammals
16. Functional Disparity and Ecological Diversification in Marine Angelfishes, f. Pomacanthidae
15. Prey processing in the Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens)
14. Regional differences in length-change and electromyographic heterogeneity in the sternohyoid muscle during infant mammalian swallowing
13. Rhythmicity in teleost chewing: a comparison with amniotes
12.Functional morphology of butterflyfishes
11. Evolutionary history of the butterflyfishes (f. Chaetodontidae) and the rise of coral feeding fishes
10. The intramandibular joint in Girella: a mechanism for increased force-production?
09. Functional morphology and biomechanics of the tongue-bite apparatus in salmonid and osteoglossomorph fishes
08. Biomechanics of a convergently derived prey-processing mechanism in fishes: evidence from morphology and raking kinematics
07. Congruent modulation-patterns in muscle activity and kinematics govern a convergently derived teleosts prey-processing behaviour
06. Symposium introduction: electromyography interpretation and limitations in functional analyses of musculoskeletal function.
05. Is a convergently derived muscle-activity pattern driving novel raking behaviours in teleost fishes?
04. Evolution of novel jaw joints promote trophic diversity in coral reef fishes
03. Adult Emperor angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator) clean Giant Sunfishes (Mola mola) at Nusa Lembongan, Indonesia
02. Prey-capture in Pomacanthus semicirculatus (Teleostei, Pomacanthidae): functional implications of intramandibular joints in marine angelfishes
01. Evolution and biogeography of marine angelfishes (Pisces: Pomacanthidae)
Citation
Proceedings of the Royal Society, series B - Published online before print September 28, 2011, doi: 10.1098/rspb.2011.1435
Reprint: [pdf]
Coauthor details:
Thomas J. Roberts, Brown University
Manny Azizi, U. California at Irvine
Description
Muscles are not only the motors that power movement, but also function as brakes for activities like deceleration or landing from a jump. To function as brakes, muscles have to be actively stretched, which leaves them susceptible to damage. In this study, we discovered that the tendons connecting muscles to bones play an essential role during activities involving deceleration. During landing, tendons act as springs by temporarily storing the energy of impact. This energy is then released more slowly to stretch the muscle. Therefore, the spring-like action of tendons likely protects the muscles from damage when they function as brakes. Moreover, the delayed and slowed transfer of energy from tendons to muscles likely limits the peak forces generated, which may protect not only the muscle fascicles themselves, but also surrounding connective tissues and bones from damage.
Cites: GoogleScholar citations of this paper.
NCBI Matrix: related citations (mine and others).
Press:Scientific American, Physorg, Science ORF (Austria), R&Dmag, ABC (Spain), Medill Reports, Brown Press Office
Figure. A safer landing for muscles. During landing from a jump, tendons absorb the initial energy by stretching like coiled springs. Muscles, which prepare in advance for impact, also absorb energy by stretching, but only after the tendons have blunted the shock.
