Recruitment Of Muscle Fibres (biomechanics)

Question 1

What’s a motor unit

Answer 1

Consists of a motor neurone and all the muscle fibres it stimulates

Question 2

‘All or none law’

Answer 2

states that if a motor unit receives sufficient stimulation
an action potential will be released
and all fibres in that motor unit will contract

Question 3

Spatial summation

Answer 3

An action potential is released when the threshold is achieved due to the summation (adding together) of impulses from multiple areas

Question 4

Wave summation

Answer 4

Additional action potentials reach the muscle fibres before they have had time to fully relax,
resulting in build up of calcium + smooth tetanic contractions