Level 2 Anatomy and Physiology

Unit 2 – Muscles of the body

Lesson 2.7 – Muscle attachments

Level 2 Anatomy and Physiology
Lesson 2.7 Muscle attachments

Step 1 – Attachments

What usually connects a muscle to a bone?

As you may know, tendons generally
attach muscles to bones by actually
growing into the bones. Sometimes
these fibrous tissues spread out into
sheets called aponeuroses.

With some muscles it is difficult to see

the connective tissue because it is so
short; this is the case with the pectoral
muscles. In other cases, the muscles
controlling the fingers and toes for
instance, the tendons are very long.

When a muscle receives a stimulus from the brain, it contracts in the middle part
and exerts a pull on the tendon, and that in turn pulls on the bone to which it is
attached.

Step 2 – Attachments
Can you remember what the two terms ‘origin’ and ‘insertion’ mean?
You may recall that the origin is the
attachment of the muscle at the
proximal end nearer the midline of the
body. The insertion is at the distal end,
and the attachment is usually to a less
stable part of the skeleton.

The 'belly' of a muscle is generally

nearer to the origin, and so the shorter
of the tendons is at that end.

The tendon at the insertion end is much

longer, and this is the end attached to a
limb or other more mobile part of the
skeleton.

Note: This step contains an activity where you move your mouse over each label
for a reminder.

Step 3 – Muscle contractions

When a muscle contracts, its fibres shorten or attempt to shorten. Note that
individual fibres either contract fully or not at all. The overall result is full or partial
contraction of the muscle as a whole.

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Level 2 Anatomy and Physiology
Lesson 2.7 Muscle attachments

A muscle may contract:

 Fully or partially
 With more or less force
 On its own or, more usually, as a member of a group
 Concentrically or eccentrically
 Isometrically or isotonically

Let's look at what these last two terms mean.

Step 4 – Muscle contractions

Isotonic, isokinetic and isometric contractions

An isotonic contraction occurs when a constant load is moved through a range of
motion at a joint. During such a contraction, the tension remains more or less
constant but there is a change in muscle length. There are two types of isotonic
contraction - concentric and eccentric, which will be explained later.

An isokinetic contraction is one where the muscle contracts at a constant speed.

This type of training requires specialist equipment and the concept will be
explained in a later chapter.

An isometric contraction occurs when the muscle does not or cannot shorten, but
the tension on the muscle increases greatly. Examples of this would include when
you hold your body in a raised press up position, when you push against a wall or
try to lift something fixed to the floor.

Step 5 – Muscle contractions

Isometric contractions are used frequently in stabilising the body or parts of the
body during performance.

However, persistent isometric contractions for training purposes have been shown
to cause a dangerous increase in blood pressure. This is because a muscle that is
held in a strong static contraction may restrict the blood flow through that muscle,
causing a build-up of metabolic waste products, which can then stimulate an
unwanted rise in blood pressure as the cardiovascular system attempts to send
more blood to the muscle.

In addition, as no shortening of the muscle occurs, an isometric contraction is not

effective through a full range of movement.

Note: Isotonic - iso = same, tonos = tension

Isometric - metros = length

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Level 2 Anatomy and Physiology
Lesson 2.7 Muscle attachments

Step 6 – Muscle contractions

Concentric and eccentric contractions

When you flex your elbow, for example lifting a barbell in a bicep curl, your biceps
muscle contracts, and the muscle shortens. This is the most common form of
contraction, and is called a concentric contraction.

On the other hand, if a muscle receives a stimulus to contract but the tension it
applies is overcome by an external resistance, for example, lowering a barbell in a
bicep curl, it actually lengthens while contracting. This is an eccentric contraction.

Step 7 – Muscle contractions

Another exercise that demonstrates eccentric contraction is the lowering of the
body to the floor from a push-up position. Here the action of the triceps muscle is
eccentric.

Another example is the abdominal curl, as you curl forwards the rectus abdominis
shortens, this is a concentric contraction - as you lower yourself back to the floor
the rectus abdominis lengthens but the muscles are still under tension as they
control the lowering movement. This is an eccentric contraction.

Both kinds of contraction take place in many types of sport and exercise. For
example, a rugby player may propel himself forward and then brake suddenly to
avoid a tackle. Both eccentric and concentric contractions will play a part in his
movements.

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Level 2 Anatomy and Physiology
Lesson 2.7 Muscle attachments

Step 8 – All or nothing principle

In order to start a contraction, a stimulus is required from a neuron. The weakest

of these stimulations is known as a threshold stimulus. A stimulus of a lower
intensity is known as a sub-threshold stimulus. As the stimulus is initiated, the
individual muscle fibres of a motor unit will contract to their fullest potential or, in
some cases, may not contract at all.

This firing phase is known as the all-or-none principle, due to the many motor units
that make up a muscle, some of which are contracting as others relax.

This can be related to a row of dominoes, if the push on the first domino is strong
enough then it falls against the second domino causing the whole row to fall (all
principle). If the push on the first domino is too weak then it does not fall against
the second domino and the row remains standing (nothing principle).

At any time through this process the force of contraction may be decreased by
fatigue, lack of nutrients or oxygen.

Step 9 – Activity Note: this activity can only be completed online.

When you slowly move from a standing to a squatting position, what type of
contraction is happening in your thigh muscles?

 Eccentric contraction
 Concentric contraction

Feedback: As you move slowly from standing to a squatting position your muscles
are resisting the downwards movement but not preventing it so they lengthen
rather than shorten. This means the muscles are contracting eccentrically.

Step 10 – Activity Note: this activity can only be completed online. Drop down
boxes appear with various options and you must choose the correct options to
complete the text.

__________________ is the strength or tension that a muscle is able to apply. It

depends on its size (cross-sectional area) and the proportion of active fibres in the
muscle.

__________________ is a muscle’s ability to contract rapidly, and thereby

accomplish fast bodily movements.

__________________ is the ability to perform repeated contractions.

__________________ is a slight persistent contraction of muscle fibres,

maintained by regular exercise.

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Level 2 Anatomy and Physiology
Lesson 2.7 Muscle attachments

Step 11 – Summary

The two attachments to a muscle are known as the origin and insertion. The origin
is usually the end nearer to the midline of the body and is attached to a more
stable part of the skeleton. The tendon at the insertion end is much longer, and
this is the end attached to a limb or other more mobile part of the skeleton.

A concentric contraction is one in which the muscle shortens while contracting. An

eccentric contraction is one in which the muscle lengthens while contracting.
These are both types of isotonic contraction.

Whenever you move part of your body, you are engaged in an isotonic contraction,
because your body segment moves as your muscles shorten or lengthen. The
term isometric refers to muscular action in which tension is increased, but
noticable shortening of the muscle is prevented.

In the all-or-nothing principle, either a stimulus is strong enough to make a muscle

fibre contract and continue to make the other muscle fibres contract within a motor
unit in a domino effect, or it is too weak and nothing happens.

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