Force Transmission between Synergistic Skeletal Muscles through Connective Tissue Linkages

Figure 4

Drawings to illustrate length changes of connective tissue linkages between passive (grey) and active (red) synergistic muscles. Changing the length of one muscle results in reorientation as well as unfolding of those linkages. Unfolding is also seen with coactivation. Such straightening of macroscopic crimp in collagen fibrils is correlated to the toe region of the stress-strain curve [35]. Modified from Maas and Sandercock [28].