[2] Note that the disynaptic reflex pathway does not always have inhibitory effects: under certain conditions, GTO stimulation can result in motoneuron excitation.
[2] It helps maintain steady levels of tension and stable joints to counteract effects that reduce muscle force (such as fatigue).
[6] Because the Ib inhibitory interneurons receive convergent multisensory inputs and descending pathways, they may allow fine control of muscle forces,[5] and may be better at protective functions.
[7] First, as a load is placed on the muscle, the afferent neuron from the Golgi tendon organ fires into the central nervous system.
It was first thought GTOs only had protective function which was to prevent muscles from damages because of the assumptions that they always inhibited motoneurons and that they fired only under high tension.
The multiple sensory/control inputs may allow fine motor activities, such as grasping a delicate object, in which other senses may guide force control.