Tendon Tissue
-- Kangaroo tendons are able to store potential energy creating from the previous hop and expel it for the next hop.
-- This energy, called elastic strain energy, charges the tendons like a coiled spring and allows for less muscle activity
during locomotion. Gastrocnemius tendons stretch up to 8 times as much as the attached muscle fibers. The increased
tendon length coupled with the greater capacity for stretching and muscle stiffness allows for greater movement through
less energetic work.
-- This ability leads to efficient energy use and more direct transfer of energy while cruising via hopping. Similarly sized
mammals will consume much more energy than a kangaroo at similar speeds.
Brian Shelton. Davidson College. Biology 312: Animal Physiology, Dr. Dorcas. Fall 2005