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Related Concept Videos

Fascicle Arrangement in Skeletal Muscles01:25

Fascicle Arrangement in Skeletal Muscles

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Fascicles are bundles of muscle fibers in a skeletal muscle. Muscle fascicle arrangement is directly associated with the power and range of motion of various muscles. The configuration of these fascicles can vary, leading to different functional outcomes.
The four primary types of muscle based on fascicle arrangement are:
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Motor Unit Stimulation01:20

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When the neuron of a motor unit fires an action potential, it triggers a series of events, leading to a twitch contraction in the muscle fibers. The process of excitation-contraction coupling is crucial in relaying the action potential to the muscle fibers.
The latent period of contraction marks the onset of excitation-contraction coupling, when the action potential propagates across the sarcolemma, preparing the muscle fibers for contraction. As the fibers enter the contraction phase, the...
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Muscle Stimulation Frequency01:22

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The contraction strength of muscles is regulated by motor neurons, which modulate the frequency of action potentials dispatched to the motor units based on the body's requirements. This process of varying the muscle stimulation frequency allows muscles to contract with a force that is precisely tailored to the needs of the moment, whether lifting a feather or a heavy box.
Wave summation
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Isotonic and Isometric Muscle Contractions01:22

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Two primary types of muscle contractions are isotonic and isometric, each serving unique functions and involving distinct mechanisms. Both isotonic and isometric contractions are integral to the body's complex system of movement and stability. Isotonic exercises contribute significantly to functional strength and movement, while isometric contractions are crucial for maintaining posture and joint stability.
Isotonic contractions
Isotonic contractions occur when a muscle changes length while...
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Muscles that Move the Leg01:23

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The movement of the legs is facilitated by numerous muscles located within the anterior, medial, and posterior compartments of the thigh.
Anterior Compartment
The quadriceps femoris, the most visible muscle of the anterior compartment, is integral for leg extension and thigh flexion. It is formed by merging four distinct muscles — the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris. The quadriceps tendon, a shared tendon of the four quadriceps muscles, is affixed...
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Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Skeletal Muscles01:20

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Excitation-contraction coupling is a series of events that occur between generating an action potential and initiating a muscle contraction. It occurs at the triad, a structure found in skeletal muscle fibers that comprise a T-tubule and terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum on each side. These triads are visible in longitudinally sectioned muscle fibers. They are typically located at the A-I junction — the junction between the A and I bands of the sarcomere.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 29, 2025

Muscle Imbalances: Testing and Training Functional Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Athletic Populations
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Muscle forces and fascicle behavior during three hamstring exercises.

Bas Van Hooren1, Benedicte Vanwanseele2, Sam van Rossom2

  • 1Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
|March 21, 2022
PubMed
Summary

The Nordic hamstring curl (NHC) generates higher peak muscle forces and fascicle lengthening compared to the single-leg Roman chair (RCH) and single-leg deadlift (DL). NHC may be most effective for increasing hamstring fascicle length.

Keywords:
Nordic hamstring curldeadliftmusculoskeletal modelingsingle-leg roman chairultrasound

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Procedures for Rat in situ Skeletal Muscle Contractile Properties
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Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Exercise Physiology

Background:

  • Understanding hamstring muscle forces and fascicle behavior is crucial for optimizing exercise prescription.
  • Limited data exists comparing these factors across different hamstring exercises.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare lower-limb muscle forces and biceps femoris long head fascicle behavior during three hamstring exercises: Nordic hamstring curl (NHC), single-leg Roman chair (RCH), and single-leg deadlift (DL).

Main Methods:

  • Ten male participants performed NHC, RCH, and DL exercises.
  • Measurements included full-body kinematics, ground reaction forces, muscle activation, and biceps femoris long head fascicle behavior.

Main Results:

  • Mean fascicle length was highest in DL, followed by RCH and NHC.
  • Fascicle lengthening was greatest in NHC.
  • Peak hamstring muscle forces were generally highest in NHC.
  • NHC showed peak forces with low biceps femoris long head and semimembranosus activation.

Conclusions:

  • The NHC appears most effective for promoting increases in hamstring fascicle length due to higher peak forces and greater fascicle lengthening.
  • NHC may enhance biceps femoris short head and semitendinosus strength, while RCH and DL might be better for biceps femoris long head and semimembranosus strength gains.