Muscle Coordination

Muscles allow us to move. They also provide stability (stability) to our joints. For movements to proceed well, muscles must work together. This cooperation is needed to position joints and bones correctly. We call this 'muscle coordination'.

The cooperation between muscles becomes clear if we think of muscles as elastic bands. For example, the muscles at the back of the thigh (the hamstrings) and those at the front (the quadriceps femoris) must work together to allow knee flexion. When bending the knee, the elastic band at the back (hamstrings) must contract. That is only possible if the elastic band at the front (the quadriceps) relaxes, lengthens, and allows the movement.

If that cooperation does not go well, a movement dysfunction or instability occurs. This usually does not have to do with loss of strength. In this ‘samenspel’ (interaction), neuromuscular (nerve-muscle) control plays a major role. Neuromuscular control is the tensing and/or relaxing of specific muscles at the right time to achieve smooth, stable movement.

Back to our example. If the elastic band at the front does not function properly, it cannot relax well. As a result, the movement becomes jerky or, in the worst case, knee flexion becomes impossible. This may sound strange, since the elastic band (the muscle) is attached at both ends (by tendons). The problem here is neuromuscular control; the cooperation is disrupted.