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J Appl Physiol 77: 1769-1775, 1994;
8750-7587/94 $5.00
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Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 77, Issue 4 1769-1775, Copyright © 1994 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Mechanics of human quadriceps muscle

C. Coirault, B. Riou, N. Pery-Man, I. Suard and Y. Lecarpentier
Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale Unite 275-Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquee-Ecole Nationale Superieure des Techniques Avancees-Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France.

Mechanics of human quadriceps muscle strips (vastus lateralis; n = 10) were investigated over the whole load continuum. Mechanical experiments were performed at 29 degrees C and in both twitch and tetanus modes. For a given level of isotonic total load (P) and over a large part of the contraction phase, instantaneous velocity (V) was shown to be a unique function of instantaneous length (L), regardless of time and initial length. By considering this time- and initial length-independent mechanical property between instantaneous L and instantaneous V over the whole P continuum, a three-dimensional P-V-L relationship was constructed. Any variations in stimulation conditions modified the time-independent P-V-L diagram. Such modifications in the P-V-L relationship were characteristics of changes in contractile performance. Moreover, characteristics of the P-V relationship were investigated in both twitch and tetanus modes. The curvature of the P-V hyperbola was significantly higher in tetanus at 30 Hz than in twitch mode (P < 0.001). In conclusion, our study indicates that, in human quadriceps muscles, contractility can be defined as the time- and initial length-invariant part of a three-dimensional P-V-L relationship. Moreover, our data are consistent with an increase in economy of force generation in tetanus contractions compared with that in twitches.


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