In order to prevent a muscle from stretching too far, a muscle spindle will become excited and cause the muscle to contract because they are sensitive to what distortion of muscle tissue?
a. change in length and rate of length change
b. change in length and muscular tension
c. change in muscular tension and rate of tension change
d. change in rate of tension change and rate of length change
Answer: a. change in length and rate of length change
Muscular spindles are sensitive to change in length and rate of length change, this preventing a muscle from stretching too far. Excited muscle spindles will stretch when a muscle stretches, causing the muscle to contract to prevent injury from stretching too far or too fast.