Which receptors are sensitive to changes in muscle tension?

• A. Golgi tendon organs
• B. Muscle spindles
• C. Tendons
• D. Proprioception

Answer: (A)

When the body gauges how much force a muscle is generating, the key detectors are the Golgi tendon organs. These receptors sit near the muscle–tendon junction and respond specifically to tension, firing more as the muscle pulls harder. This tension-sensing feedback helps regulate strength and protect the tendon from overload.

Muscle spindles, by contrast, detect changes in muscle length and the speed of that change—essentially how stretched the muscle is—so they’re more about stretch than about force. Tendons themselves aren’t receptors; they’re the tissue that transmits force. Proprioception is the overall sense of body position and movement, produced by multiple receptors, including Golgi tendon organs and muscle spindles, not a single receptor type.

So, for sensing changes in muscle tension, Golgi tendon organs are the best answer.