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. 2003 Jul;203(1):101–113. doi: 10.1046/j.1469-7580.2003.00206.x

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© Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2003

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Fig. 6 — Operating ranges of the muscles in the forelimb model corresponding to the range of joint angles commonly reported for the stance phase of walking and trotting (van Weeren et al. 1993; Hodson et al. 2000). Muscle force is normalized to peak isometric force () for each muscle in the model (vertical axis). Note that at a muscle length of , muscle force equals . In all panels, the thin line is the standardized force–length curve used to calculate muscle force. (A) Muscles acting about the MCP joint were predicted to operate slightly below their optimal fibre length at the joint angles associated with the stance phase of gait. Thus, if the MCP joint was moved to joint angles beyond 240°, e.g. as in galloping (Butcher & Ashley-Ross, 2002), the superficial and deep digital flexor muscles would probably remain close to their optimal lengths. The joint range of motion for the MCP joint in walking and trotting is reported to be between 193° and 240° (van Weeren et al. 1993; Hodson et al. 2000). (B) At the carpus, the superficial and deep digital flexor muscles in the model operated at less than 0.74 for the joint angles associated with the stance phase of gait. The other carpal extensor and flexor muscles were estimated to be near their optimal lengths. The joint range of motion for the carpus in walking and trotting is reported to be between 155° and 185° (van Weeren et al. 1993; Hodson et al. 2000). Note that CDE, LDE, SDF and DDF all cross both the carpus and the MCP joint.

Inline graphic — Operating ranges of the muscles in the forelimb model corresponding to the range of joint angles commonly reported for the stance phase of walking and trotting (van Weeren et al. 1993; Hodson et al. 2000). Muscle force is normalized to peak isometric force () for each muscle in the model (vertical axis). Note that at a muscle length of , muscle force equals . In all panels, the thin line is the standardized force–length curve used to calculate muscle force. (A) Muscles acting about the MCP joint were predicted to operate slightly below their optimal fibre length at the joint angles associated with the stance phase of gait. Thus, if the MCP joint was moved to joint angles beyond 240°, e.g. as in galloping (Butcher & Ashley-Ross, 2002), the superficial and deep digital flexor muscles would probably remain close to their optimal lengths. The joint range of motion for the MCP joint in walking and trotting is reported to be between 193° and 240° (van Weeren et al. 1993; Hodson et al. 2000). (B) At the carpus, the superficial and deep digital flexor muscles in the model operated at less than 0.74 for the joint angles associated with the stance phase of gait. The other carpal extensor and flexor muscles were estimated to be near their optimal lengths. The joint range of motion for the carpus in walking and trotting is reported to be between 155° and 185° (van Weeren et al. 1993; Hodson et al. 2000). Note that CDE, LDE, SDF and DDF all cross both the carpus and the MCP joint.