There are 639 muscles in the human body
The muscular system is composed of specialized cells called
muscle fibers. Their function is contractibility. Muscles, attached to
bones or internal organs and blood vessels, are responsible for
movement. Nearly all movement in the body is the result of
muscle contraction.
Muscles allow a person to move, speak, and chew. They control
heartbeat, breathing, and digestion. Other seemingly unrelated
functions, including temperature regulation and vision, also rely on
the muscular system.
The 5 main functions of the muscular system
Movement
Support
Protection
Heat generation
Blood circulation
THE HUMAN BODY HAS OVER 639 MUSCLES
The three main types of muscles
include
1. Skeletal muscles
2. Smooth muscles
3. Cardiac muscle
Skeletal Muscle
This specialised tissue is attached to bones and allows for
movement. Together skeletal muscles and bones are called
musculoskeletal system.
Skeletal muscles are under our conscious control, which is
why they are also known as voluntary muscles
Another term is striated muscles, since the tissue looks
striated when viewed under a microscope
SMOOTH MUSCLE
These muscles are located in various internal structures including the
digestive tract, uterus and blood vessels such as arteries.
Smooth muscle is arranged in layered sheets that contract in waves
along the length of the structure.
Another term is involuntary muscle, since the motion of smooth muscle
happens without our conscious awareness.
CARDIAC MUSCLE
This muscle is specific
to the heart.
The heart contracts
and relaxes without
our conscious
awareness
The middle ear has the smallest muscle. Less
than 1 millimeter long, the stapedius controls
the vibration of the smallest bone in the body,
Smallest
the stapes
muscles
The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in
the human body. It is large and has the job of
Largest keeping the trunk of the body in an erect
Muscles posture. The chief antigravity muscle that aids
in walking up stairs.
Strongest The strongest muscle is masseter. It can close
Muscles the teeth with a force as great as 55 pounds on
the incisors and 200 pounds on the molars.
How the muscular system works
The muscles account for around 40 percent of a
person’s weight with the largest muscle in the body
being the gluteus maximus in the buttocks.
The muscular system contains more than 600
muscles that work together to enable the full
functioning of the body.
Eleven main functions of the muscular system
Mobility
The muscular system’s main function is to allow movement. When
muscles contract, they contribute to gross and fine movement. Gross
movement refers to large, coordinated motions and includes: walking,
running, swimming.
Fine movement involves smaller movements, such as: writing,
speaking, facial expressions. The smaller skeletal muscles are usually
responsible for this type of action.
Most muscle movement of the body is under conscious control.
However, some movements are reflexive, such as withdrawing a hand
from a source of heat.
Stability Muscle tendons stretch over joints and
contribute to joint stability. Muscle
tendons in the knee joint and the
shoulder joint are crucial in
stabilization.
The core muscles are those in the
abdomen, back, and pelvis, and they
also stabilize the body and assist in
tasks, such as lifting weights.
Posture
Skeletal muscles help keep the body in the correct
position when someone is sitting or standing. This is
known as posture
Good posture relies on strong, flexible muscles. Stiff,
weak, or tight muscles contribute to poor posture and
misalignment of the body.
Long-term, bad posture leads to joint and muscle pain in
the shoulders, back, neck, and elsewhere.
Circulation
The heart is a muscle that pumps blood throughout the body.
The movement of the heart is outside of conscious control,
and it contracts automatically when stimulated by electrical
signals.
Smooth muscle in the arteries and veins plays a further role
in the circulation of blood around the body. They expand to
increase blood flow during times of intense exercise when the
body requires more oxygen.
Respiration
Breathing involves the use of the diaphragm muscle.
The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle located below the lungs.
When the diaphragm contracts, it pushes downward, causing the
chest cavity to get bigger. When someone wants to breathe more
deeply, it requires help from other muscles, including those in the
abdomen, back, and neck.
DIGESTION
Food moves through the digestive system with a wave-like motion
called peristalsis. Muscles in the walls of the hollow organs
contract and relax to cause this movement, which pushes food
through the esophagus into the stomach.
The digested food moves from the stomach to the intestines by
peristalsis. From here, more muscles contract to pass the food out
of the body as stool.
URINATION
The urinary system comprises both smooth and skeletal
muscles, including those in the:
Bladder Prostate
Kidneys Ureters
Penis Urethra
Vagina
Childbirth
Smooth muscles in the uterus expand and
contract during childbirth. These movements
push the baby through the vagina. Also, the
pelvic floor muscles help to guide the baby’s
head down the birth canal.
Vision
Six skeletal muscles around the eye control its
movements. These muscles work quickly and
precisely, and allow the eye to: maintain a stable
image, scan the surrounding area and track moving
objects.
Organ Protection
Muscles in the torso protect the internal organs at the
front, sides, and back of the body. The bones of the
spine and the ribs provide further protection.
Muscles also protect the bones and organs by
absorbing shock and reducing friction in the joints.
Temperature regulation
Maintaining normal body temperature is an important function of
the muscular system. Almost 85 percent of the heat a person
generates in their body comes from contracting muscles.
When body heat falls below optimal levels, the skeletal muscles
increase their activity to make heat. Shivering is one example of
this mechanism. Muscles in the blood vessels also contract to
maintain body heat.
Ligaments
A short band of tough, flexible tissue which connects two
bones or cartilages or holds together a joint.
Tendon
A cord of strong, flexible tissue, similar to a rope. Tendons
connect your muscles to your bones. Tendons let us move our
limbs. They also help prevent muscle injury by absorbing some of
the impact your muscles take when you run, jump or do other
movements
Abduction and Adduction
Abduction is the opposite of adduction.
Abduction
Limbs (arms, legs or fingers) are moved away from your
body's midline.
Adduction
Refers to moving your limbs closer to the midline
Flexion and Extension
Flexion
The action of bending or the condition of being bent, especially
the bending of a limb or joint.
Extension
Extension increases the angle and straightens the joint
MASSETER
OCCIPITALIS
Zygomaticus
(Smiling muscle)
The epicranial aponeurosis is a tough fibrous sheet of
connective tissue, very similar to a tendon. It extends over the
cranium, connecting the Frontalis and Occipitalis muscles
Buccinator - The fleshy buccinator muscle runs horizontally
across the cheek and inserts into the orbicularis oris.
Zygomaticus - The zygomaticus extends from the corner of the
mouth to the cheekbone; it is often referred to as the “smiling”
muscle because it raises the corners of the mouth upward.
Masseter - As it runs from the zygomatic process of the
temporal bone to the mandible, the masseter covers the angle
of the lower jaw; this muscle closes the jaw by elevating the
mandible.
Frontalis - Covers the frontal bone, runs from the cranial
aponeurosis to the skin of the eyebrows, where it inserts; this
muscle allows you to raise your eyebrows and wrinkle your
forehead
Orbicularis occuli - The orbicularis oculi has fibers that run in
circles around the eyes; it allows you to close your eyes, squint,
blink, and wink.
Orbicularis oris - The orbicularis oris is the circular muscle of the
lips; because it closes the mouth and protrudes the lips, it is often
called the “kissing” muscle.
Orbicularis Oculi
Depressor Anguli Oris
sad face
Temporalis - A fan-shaped muscle overlying the temporal
bone; it inserts into the mandible and acts as a synergist of the
masseter in closing the jaw.
Depressor Anguli Oris - This muscle lowers the corner of the
lips. Usually an expression of sadness
Mentalis - This muscle is used when a person pouts
Occipitalis - Muscle that covers the occipital bone
The top of the cranium does not have a muscle.
Fluid-filled sac
A bursa is a small,
fluid-filled sac that
cushions and reduces
friction between bones
and other moving parts
of the body.
Sternocleidomastoid
Sternocleidomastoid - The paired sternocleidomastoid
muscles are two-headed muscles, one found on each side of
the neck; when both sternocleidomastoid contract together,
they flex your neck.
The posterior muscles of the trunk include:
Trapezius - The trapezius muscles are the most superficial
muscles of the posterior neck and upper trunk; the trapezius
muscles extend the head; they also can elevate, depress,
adduct, and stabilize the scapula.
The Platysma muscle is a superficial muscle
found in the neck. The Platysma is a wide muscle
that covers the neck and connects to the edge of
the Deltoid muscle and the edge of the Pectoralis
muscles with Fascia connective tissue
Latissimus dorsi -The latissimus dorsi muscles are the two
large, flat muscles that cover the lower back; these are very
important muscles when the arm must be brought down in a
power stroke.
Deltoid- The deltoids are fleshy, triangle-shaped muscles that
form the rounded shape of the shoulders; the deltoids are the
prime movers of arm abduction.
Triceps brachii - Thick large muscle of the dorsal upper arm.
The main function of the triceps is to extend the elbow
A total of 19 different muscles. The Flexor and Extensor
muscles are responsible for movement of the Wrists and
Phalanges
The Flexor muscles are responsible for flexing the
anterior forearm, while the Extensor muscles are located
in the posterior forearm
Phalanges (fingers) do not contain muscles. The muscles
that move the finger joints are the palm and forearm
muscles
The Flexor Digitorum Profundus (FDP) is the hand
muscle that assist the movement of the fingers
The Pectoralis muscle covers the anterior
thoracic area. Also known as the chest
muscles
The Rectus Abdominis makes up the top
layer of the abdominal muscles, commonly
referred to as “six pack”
The External Oblique Muscle is
one of the muscles that covers
the lateral portion of the rib cage.
The Gluteus Maximus along with the Gluteus
Medius muscle make up the largest muscle in
the human body. It is large and powerful
because it has the job of keeping the trunk of
the body in an erect posture. It is the chief
antigravity muscle that aids in walking up the
stairs
THIGH MUSCLES
The group of muscles of the anterior portion of the thigh is
called the Quadriceps Femoris. The responsibility of this
group of muscles is to extend the leg at the knee joint.
The muscles in this group are:
Pectineus
Sartorius
Rectus Femoris
Hamstring muscle
group - composed of
three muscles
1. Biceps femoris
2. Long and short
semitendinosus
3. Semimembranosus
The calf muscles are in the posterior part of your lower
leg.
● Gastrocnemius
● Soleus
● Achilles tendon
Together, the muscles help you walk, run, jump, stand
on your toes and flex your foot (lift your toes up toward
your knee)
It pushes you forward when you walk or run. It also
allows you to jump, rotate your ankle, flex your foot and
“lock” your knee
Achilles tendon is the strongest and largest tendon in
the body. It connects the muscles in the back of the calf
muscles to your heel bone, the calcaneus bone.
The plantar fascia is the thick tissue on the bottom of
the foot.
There are a total of 29 muscles associated with the
human foot.