Eli5 why do you take less physical damage when you tighten your muscles

Question

Eli5 why do you take less physical damage when you tighten your muscles

In: 2

Answer 1

Because muscles and tendons have an elasticity to them. So tightening them pulls them tight to act like shock absorbers when you move, but also can act like shock absorbers tk whatever blunt force is applied to them

If you are slack, then the blunt force squashes them, their nerves and blood vessels and even the bone underneath

Answer 2

It’s the opposite in car crashes. Drunks will relax and go floppy and survive accidents that others will sustain more severe injuries from tensing up