Flexor digitorum brevis utilizes elastic strain energy to contribute to both work generation and energy absorption at the foot.

ABSTRACT: The central nervous system utilizes tendon compliance of the intrinsic foot muscles to aid the foot's arch spring, storing and returning energy in its tendinous tissues. Recently, the intrinsic foot muscles have been shown to adapt their energetic contributions during a variety of locomotor tasks to fulfil centre of mass work demands. However, the mechanism by which the small intrinsic foot muscles are able to make versatile energetic contributions remains unknown. Therefore, we examined the muscle-tendon dynamics of the flexor digitorum brevis during stepping, jumping and landing tasks to see whether the central nervous system regulates muscle activation magnitude and timing to enable energy storage and return to enhance energetic contributions. In step-ups and jumps, energy was stored in

SUBMITTER: Smith RE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9124483 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature