isometric contraction

contraction /con·trac·tion/ (kon-trak´shun) a drawing together; a shortening or shrinkage.

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Braxton Hicks contractions  light, usually painless, irregular uterine contractions during pregnancy, gradually increasing in intensity and frequency and becoming more rhythmic during the third trimester.

carpopedal contraction  the condition due to chronic shortening of the muscles of the fingers, toes, arms, and legs in tetany.

cicatricial contraction  the shrinkage and spontaneous closing of open skin wounds.

clonic contraction  clonus.

hourglass contraction  contraction of an organ, as the stomach or uterus, at or near the middle.

isometric contraction  muscle contraction without appreciable shortening or change in distance between its origin and insertion.

Isotonic (A) and isometric (B) contraction.

isotonic contraction  muscle contraction without appreciable change in the force of contraction; the distance between the muscle's origin and insertion becomes lessened.

lengthening contraction  a muscle contraction in which the ends of the muscle move farther apart, as when the muscle is forcibly flexed.

paradoxical contraction  contraction of a muscle caused by the passive approximation of its extremities.

postural contraction  the state of muscular tension and contraction which just suffices to maintain the posture of the body.

shortening contraction  a muscle contraction in which the ends of the muscle move closer together, as when a flexed limb is extended.

tetanic contraction  sustained muscular contraction without intervals of relaxation.

tonic contraction  tetanic c.

twitch contraction  twitch.

uterine contraction  contraction of the uterus during labor.

wound contraction  the shrinkage and spontaneous closure of open skin wounds.

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isometric contraction

Etymology: Gk, isos, equal, metron, measure; L, contractio, a drawing together

muscular contraction not accompanied by movement of the joint. Resistance applied to the contraction increases muscle tension without producing movement of the joint. Also called muscle-setting exercise.

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contraction [kon-trak´shun]

a drawing together; a shortening or shrinkage.

Braxton Hicks c's see braxton hicks contractions.

carpopedal contraction the condition resulting from chronic shortening of the muscles of the upper and lower limbs including the fingers and toes, seen in tetany.

concentric contraction contraction resulting in shortening of a muscle, used to perform positive work or to accelerate a body part. It is metabolically more demanding than an eccentric contraction. Called also shortening contraction.

Dupuytren's contraction Dupuytren's contracture.

eccentric contraction contraction in the presence of a resistive force that results in elongation of a muscle, used to perform negative work or to decelerate a body part. It is less metabolically demanding than a concentric contraction but may cause disruption of associated connective tissue with delayed soreness or frank injury if it occurs in an unaccustomed manner. Called also lengthening contraction.

end-diastolic premature ventricular contraction a ventricular ectopic beat falling at the end of diastole; it may or may not be slightly premature and may or may not be a fusion beat.

haustral c's muscular contractions of the wall of the large intestine during which the haustra can be seen more easily; called also haustrations.

isometric contraction muscle contraction without appreciable shortening or change in distance between its origin and insertion.

isotonic contraction muscle contraction without appreciable change in the force of contraction; the distance between the origin and insertion becomes lessened.

lengthening contraction eccentric contraction.

postural contraction the state of muscular tension and contraction that just suffices to maintain the posture of the body.

segmental c's muscular contractions of the small intestine that serve to mix and transport chyme.

shortening contraction concentric contraction.

contraction stress test observation of the fetal heart rate in response to uterine contractions; see also fetal monitoring.

tetanic contraction (tonic contraction) physiological tetanus.

Volkmann's contraction Volkmann's contracture.

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isometric

maintaining, or pertaining to, the same length; of equal dimensions.

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isometric contraction

muscle contraction without appreciable shortening or change in distance between its origin and insertion.

isometric exercise

active exercise performed against stable resistance, without change in the length of the muscle.