Table 1 Vastus lateralis average muscle-tendon unit (MTU) length and MTU length changes, average fascicle length and fascicle length changes, average electromyographic (EMG) activity and duration of the active and inactive muscle state (mean and standard deviation, n = 15). Note that the muscle active state was examined during the stance phase and the inactive state with respect to the entire step cycle.

From: Operating length and velocity of human vastus lateralis muscle during walking and running

Parameter

Active

Inactive

Walking

Running

Walking

Running

MTU length (cm)a,b,c

25.81 ± 1.95

27.17 ± 2.02

27.46 ± 2.02

29.82 ± 1.94

MTU length change (cm)a,b

1.81 ± 0.37

3.21 ± 0.40

6.01 ± 0.45

7.40 ± 1.15

Fascicle length (cm)a,b,c

8.63 ± 1.14

10.14 ± 1.19

10.24 ± 1.28

12.29 ± 1.35

Fascicle length change (cm)

0.87 ± 0.50

0.85 ± 0.82

5.34 ± 0.85+

5.73 ± 1.57+

EMG activityNorm

0.153 ± 0.058

0.675 ± 0.027*

State duration (ms)a,b,c

201 ± 67

136 ± 18

695 ± 78

486 ± 32

  1. aStatistically significant effect of gait condition (p < 0.05).
  2. bStatistically significant effect of activation state (p < 0.05).
  3. cStatistically significant gait condition x activation state interaction (p < 0.05).
  4. +Statistically significant difference between active and inactive state (p < 0.05).
  5. *Statistically significant difference between walking and running (p < 0.05).