The Scientific Contributions of Brenda Bigland-Ritchie

Brenda Bigland-Ritchie has made seminal contributions to our understanding of skeletal muscle physiology - the energy cost of muscle when it shortens or is forcibly stretched, the relationship between EMG and force, the behavior of single motor units, and above all, the processes underlying neuromuscular fatigue. More than this, she has stimulated inquiry into the search for reflex mechanisms which may serve to balance the activity of the spinal cord with that of the fatiguing muscles. Her use of human volunteers for much of this work is extraordinary, and represents a major strength. Equally important are her well known and widely cited manuscripts. Not only are her findings clearly described and depicted, but every attempt is made to relate her results to the fatigue processes measured in animal or isolated tissue preparations.