R. Delgadolezama et al., METHODS TO FIND APONEUROSIS AND TENDON STIFFNESS AND THE ONSET OF MUSCLE-CONTRACTION, Journal of neuroscience methods, 78(1-2), 1997, pp. 125-132
A method to measure small movements of living tissues either large or
small is presented. The method is based on the detection of changes in
reflected infrared light. An optocoupler (coupled photodiode and phot
odetector) and a small (< 1 cm(2)) mirror were used. The optocoupler (
OC) has a low cost and it can be calibrated easily. It can be also use
d as the transducer of a strain-gage. Three different uses are shown:
(a) as a strain-gage transducer; (b) detection of tendon and aponeuros
is movements in large muscles (cat soleus); (c) detection of the onset
of muscle contraction. Movements of less than 1 mu m can be detected
with the aid of automatic averaging of the signals. Concerning the sec
ond use (b), it permits the estimation of tendon stretch. Concerning t
he third use, the onset of muscle movement precedes by at least 2 ms t
hat of the force recorded at the tendon. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V
.