Muscle Hypertrophy

• Increased myofibre or whole muscle diameter
• Caused by increased work load on myofibres:
  • Work hypertrophy
    • Increased physiological work
    • Due to training, pregnancy
  • Compensatory hypertrophy
    • Increased work due to loss or abscence of other fibres
    • Can result from denervation or cachetic atrophy, muscular dystrophies or extensive necrosis
  • Myofilaments are added -> diameter increases
  • Increased work load -> longitudinal splitting of fibres within one endomysial tube