ELECTROMECHANICAL DELAY OF THE KNEE EXTENSOR MUSCLES AND RELATION TO THE INITIAL MUSCLE LENGTH

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the relation between initial muscle length (IML) and electromechanical delay (EMD) of the knee extensor muscles. The results showed distinctly shorter EMDs (18-20 ms) in an optimal muscle length (OML) than reported before. Furthermore beginning in an OML an increment of EMD was to be seen in direction of both stretched (21-26 ms) and unstretched (31-36 ms) IML. EMD length- curve in course rather seems to correspond with the inverse force-length-curve. It must be concluded that EMD is not directly dependent on IML, but rather on the maximum force and the rate of force development. From these results it must be concluded that EMD is misinterpreted because EMD cannot mainly be determined by the time it takes to stretch the SE by the CE.