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WorksheetsMotor Units, Muscle Spindles and Golgi Tendon Organs
Total questions: 12
Worksheet time: 6mins
What is a motor unit?
A single muscle fiber
A motor neuron and all the muscle fibers it innervates
A sensory receptor in the muscle
A group of tendons connected to a single bone
What law describes how a motor unit either fully contracts or does not contract at all?
Henneman’s Size Principle
All-or-none law
The stretch reflex
Autogenic inhibition
Which of the following types of motor units are responsible for precise, fine movements?
Large motor units
Small motor units
Intermediate motor units
Fast glycolytic motor units
How are motor units recruited during increasing levels of force production?
Larger motor units are always recruited first.
All motor units activate at the same time.
Small motor units are recruited first, followed by larger motor units.
Only the fast-twitch motor units are activated.
What is the primary function of muscle spindles?
To detect changes in muscle tension
To prevent overstretching of the muscle
To signal the brain during muscle fatigue
To control voluntary muscle contractions
Muscle spindles are most sensitive to which of the following?
Muscle length and the rate of stretch
Blood flow to the muscle
Muscle tension during contraction
Oxygen consumption during exercise
What reflex is initiated when a muscle spindle detects a rapid stretch?
Golgi reflex
Tendon reflex
Stretch reflex
Autogenic inhibition
In which situation would muscle spindles play the most significant role?
Preventing excessive muscle tension during a heavy lift
Detecting when a muscle is quickly overstretched
Allowing smooth, controlled relaxation of a muscle
Facilitating autogenic inhibition during flexibility training
What is the main role of a Golgi tendon organ (GTO)?
To detect changes in muscle length
To prevent injury by reducing excessive muscle tension
To trigger the stretch reflex
To increase muscle contraction during exercise
What response occurs when the Golgi tendon organ detects excessive tension in a muscle?
The muscle contracts more forcefully.
The motor units are recruited more rapidly.
The muscle relaxes to prevent injury.
The antagonist muscle contracts.
Which of the following best describes "autogenic inhibition"?
Relaxation of the antagonist muscle
A protective reflex causing muscle relaxation during high tension
Rapid muscle contraction caused by overstretching
Increased motor unit activation
When lifting a very heavy weight, which sensory receptor is most likely to prevent injury by triggering muscle relaxation?
Muscle spindle
Golgi tendon organ
Motor neuron
Axon terminal
