Which statement best describes a property of stretching as it relates to Golgi tendon organs?

• A. Sustained stretches lasting at least 6 seconds can override muscle spindle impulses via Golgi tendon organs
• B. Short, rapid stretches strengthen muscle spindles and increase reflexes
• C. Stretching immediately after a workout has no effect on reflexes
• D. Golgi tendon organs are not involved in stretching

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how Golgi tendon organs influence stretching. Golgi tendon organs sit in the tendon and sense how much tension is being generated when a muscle contracts or a stretch is held. When a stretch is held for several seconds, the sustained tension increases GTO activity. This triggers inhibitory signals to the muscle, reducing its neural drive (autogenic inhibition) and letting the muscle relax a bit more. With that relaxation, the muscle–tendon unit can lengthen further, which is why longer static holds can improve range of motion.

In contrast, very short, rapid stretches mainly engage muscle spindles, which respond to quick length changes and tend to cause a reflex contraction rather than relaxation. That’s not what promotes the greater length gained through a sustained stretch. So the statement about sustaining a stretch for around six seconds or more to engage GTOs and allow greater stretch best captures this mechanism. Golgi tendon organs are indeed involved in stretching, and the idea that stretching has no effect or that GTOs don’t participate isn’t accurate.