Major Muscles of the Body

This section focuses on the major muscles of the body, their locations, and functions:

1. Quadriceps: A group of four muscles on the front of the thigh

   • Vastus lateralis
   • Rectus femoris
   • Vastus medialis
   • Vastus intermedius

2. Foot movements:

   • Dorsiflexion: Toes up
   • Plantarflexion: Toes down

3. Upper body muscles:

   • Sternocleidomastoid: Attaches to three points
   • Trapezius: Large muscle of the upper back and neck
   • Deltoid: Shoulder muscle with anterior, middle, and posterior portions
   • Pectoralis major: Large chest muscle
   • Triceps brachii: Three-headed muscle on the back of the upper arm
   • Rectus abdominus: "Six-pack" muscle of the abdomen

4. Lower body muscles:

   • Sartorius: Long, thin muscle of the thigh
   • Gluteus maximus: Large muscle of the buttocks
   • Hamstrings: Group of three muscles on the back of the thigh
     1. Biceps femoris
     2. Semimembranosus
     3. Semitendinosus
   • Gastrocnemius: Large calf muscle
   • Soleus: Deeper calf muscle

Highlight: The iliotibial (IT) band is a thick band of fascia that runs along the outside of the thigh, from the hip to the knee. It can become tight when sitting for long periods.

Understanding the location and function of these major muscles is crucial for students studying the muscular system and its role in human movement and health.

Example: The trapezius muscle plays a significant role in posture and can contribute to tension headaches when tight or strained.

This comprehensive overview of the muscular system provides students with essential knowledge about muscle types, functions, and anatomical terms, serving as a valuable resource for health science education.

Types of Muscles and Their Characteristics

The muscular system consists of three main types of muscles, each with distinct functions and locations in the body:

1. Skeletal muscles: Found attached to bones
2. Cardiac muscles: Located exclusively in the heart
3. Smooth muscles: Present in organs and blood vessels

Skeletal and cardiac muscles are both striated, meaning they have a striped appearance under a microscope.

Vocabulary: Sphincter muscles are special circular muscles that open and close to allow substance passage, such as the urethral sphincter for liquid waste and the anal sphincter for solid waste.

The muscular system exhibits several key characteristics:

1. Contractability: Allows muscle tissue to pull or shorten
2. Extensibility: The ability to stretch or expand
3. Excitability: Capacity to respond to stimuli (e.g., a fire alarm)
4. Elasticity: Ability to return to its original state (e.g., the uterus)

Highlight: Atrophy refers to the lack of muscle development or wasting away of muscle tissue.

Key terms related to muscle movement and function include:

• Abduction: Movement away from the midline
• Adduction: Movement toward the midline
• Aerobic: Requiring oxygen
• Anaerobic: Requiring no oxygen
• Agonist: Contracts muscle to cause movement
• Antagonist: Produces movement in the opposite direction of the prime mover
• Circumduction: Circular movement of a joint
• Extension: Increasing the angle between two bones
• Flexion: Decreasing the angle between two bones

Definition: Fascia is a thin, flexible band of connective tissue that holds, separates, or binds muscles.

Other important terms include:

• Insertion: Attachment point for skeletal muscle to bone after crossing a joint
• Origin: Attachment site for muscle to bone that does not move during contraction
• Isometric: Contraction of a muscle without joint movement
• Isotonic: Maintains constant tension as the muscle changes length
• Prime mover: Produces movement of a muscle in a single direction
• Synergist: Muscles that help support a joint

Vocabulary: Pronation refers to the rotation of the hand and forearm so that the palm faces downward, while supination is the opposite movement.