Golgi tendon organs provide a high protective mechanism by detecting what?

• A. Temperature change
• B. Light touch
• C. Stretch in the muscle
• D. Joint rotation

Answer: (C)

Golgi tendon organs are proprioceptors that monitor the tension in the muscle–tendon unit. When a muscle contraction or passive stretch creates high tension, these receptors (via Ib afferent fibers) trigger a reflex that inhibits the contracting muscle, reducing its activity to protect the muscle and tendon from damage. This reflex, known as autogenic inhibition, is the protective mechanism they provide.

That’s why detecting stretch or load in the muscle’s tendon is the best fit. The other options—temperature change, light touch, and joint rotation—are sensed by different types of receptors (thermoreceptors, cutaneous mechanoreceptors, and joint receptors, respectively), not the Golgi tendon organs.