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The Unique Action of Bi-Articular Muscles in Leg Extensions

  • Chapter
Multiple Muscle Systems

Abstract

In textbooks on the anatomy of the musculo-skeletal system, both muscles crossing only one joint (mono-articular muscles) and muscles crossing more than one joint (multi-articular muscles) are classified according to the location of their line of action relative to joint axes of rotation (e.g. Williams and Warwick, 1980). For instance, the line of action of the mono-articular vastus medialis passes anterior to the flexion/extension axis of the knee joint, and therefore the muscle is classified as a knee extensor. Similarly, the bi-articular gastrocnemius is classified as a knee flexor and ankle plantar flexor. As such, the gastrocnemius is considered to be an antagonist of the vasti at the knee joint.

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Authors
  1. Gerrit Jan van Ingen Schenau
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  2. Maarten F. Bobbert
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  3. Arthur J. van Soest
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Department of Chemical, Bio., and Materials Engineering, Arizona State University, 85287-6006, Tempe, Arizona, USA

    Jack M. Winters

  2. Department of Surgery Division of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, 92093, La Jolla, California, USA

    Savio L-Y. Woo

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© 1990 Springer-Verlag, New York

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van Ingen Schenau, G.J., Bobbert, M.F., van Soest, A.J. (1990). The Unique Action of Bi-Articular Muscles in Leg Extensions. In: Winters, J.M., Woo, S.LY. (eds) Multiple Muscle Systems. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-9030-5_41

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-9030-5_41

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-9032-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-9030-5

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