Question

Playing the piano requires activation of muscles of the upper limbs, neck and back. To play the keys, the fingers must generate rapid, small movements that vary in force generation to play the keys sometimes very hard (larger amounts of force) and sometimes very soft (very little amounts of force), and everything in between. The elbow flexors hold the elbow joint at the same comfortable angle throughout the duration of play, which can last several hours. Additionally, the player must also sit upright at the piano bench for these long durations without the back or neck muscles fatiguing.

For piano playing, which muscles would have the fewest fibers controlled by each motor neuron?
- Fingers
- Elbow flexors
- Back
- Neck

Answer 1

The fingers have the fewest muscle fibers per motor neuron, allowing for more precise movements necessary for playing the piano.

Step-by-step explanation:

The muscles of the fingers would have the fewest fibers controlled by each motor neuron during piano playing. These intrinsic hand muscles, such as the lumbricals, palmar interossei, and dorsal interossei, allow for precise finger movements and dexterity required for tasks like typing, writing, and playing musical instruments. In contrast, larger muscles like the elbow flexors, back muscles, and the neck muscles tend to control more fibers per motor neuron, as their movements are generally less fine and require greater force production.