Exercise Physiology: Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance 9th Edition by Scott Powers, Edward Howley

Exercise 15

Outline the functions of both muscle spindles and the Golgi tendon organ.

Step 1 of 2

Muscle spindle: They are found in large numbers in locomotor muscles. These receptors act as length detectors. Those muscles that require finest degree of control have highest density of the receptors. They detect stretch of the muscle and send signals to the nervous system which respond and causes the muscle to contract. Muscle spindles insert into the connective tissue within the muscle. Muscle spindles are responsible for stretch reflex or myotatic reflex. They help in the regulation of movement and to maintain posture.

To sum up, the following are the functions of the muscle spindle:

• Detect stretch and initiate a protective mechanism to resist stretch

• Stimulates the motor neurons to make the muscles contract and resist from being stretched