Prepare for your Movement Science Midterm Test with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Boost your exam readiness!

Multiple Choice

Eccentric muscle action is defined as which?

Eccentric muscle action happens when a muscle lengthens while still producing force, as it controls or resists an external load. This occurs because the external (resistive) force is greater than the muscle’s contractile force at that moment, so the muscle lengthens while producing tension. That matches the description: the muscle lengthens because the contractile force is less than the resistive force. If the muscle were shortening under load, that would be a concentric action. If the muscle didn’t change length, it would be isometric. Simply lengthening under gravity isn’t enough on its own to define eccentric action; the key is maintaining force while the muscle length increases to control the movement, like lowering a weight slowly.

Eccentric muscle action happens when a muscle lengthens while still producing force, as it controls or resists an external load. This occurs because the external (resistive) force is greater than the muscle’s contractile force at that moment, so the muscle lengthens while producing tension. That matches the description: the muscle lengthens because the contractile force is less than the resistive force.

If the muscle were shortening under load, that would be a concentric action. If the muscle didn’t change length, it would be isometric. Simply lengthening under gravity isn’t enough on its own to define eccentric action; the key is maintaining force while the muscle length increases to control the movement, like lowering a weight slowly.