Gross Anatomy of the Muscular System

"Think about the things that you do each day—talking, walking, sitting, standing, and running—all of
these activities require movement of particular skeletal muscles. Skeletal muscles are even used during
sleep. The diaphragm is a sheet of skeletal muscle that has to contract and relax for you to breathe day
and night. If you recall from your study of the skeletal system and joints, body movement occurs around
the joints in the body. The focus of this chapter is on skeletal muscle organization. The system to name
skeletal muscles will be explained; in some cases, the muscle is named by its shape, and in other
cases it is named by its location or attachments to the skeleton. If you understand the meaning of the
name of the muscle, often it
will help you remember its location and/or what it does.”
OpenStax A&P pg. 445

I. Structure of typical skeletal muscle

A. Origin (=head) = point of attachment of muscle to the stationary (=fixed) bone (usually
nearer midline of body, or proximal)
1. Fleshy = muscle fibers attached directly to bone
2. Tendon = cord-like white fibrous CT
3. Aponeurosis = broad sheet of white fibrous CT (=broad tendon) attaching to
coverings of adjacent muscles
B. Insertion = point of attachment to movable bone (usually farther from midline of body, or
distal)
C. Belly (=body, gaster) = fleshy portion between origin and insertion

II. Muscle groups

A. Intrinsic = move parts of structure with respect to the structure itself (e.g., muscles
controlling iris of eye)
B. Extrinsic = move an entire structure with respect to body itself (e.g., muscles controlling
movement of eye itself)
C. Prime mover = major muscle involved in contraction
D. Synergists = minor muscles aiding in contraction of prime mover
E. Fixators = stabilize one or more joints crossed by a prime mover

III. Important generalities about muscle action

A. Muscles work only by contraction
B. Origin and insertion are never on the same bone
C. Origin and belly are generally on one side of a joint, with the insertion on the other side
D. During contraction, the insertion is pulled toward the origin
E. Muscles work in pairs
1. Agonist = first mover
2. Antagonist
 Relaxed when agonist contracts
 When contracted, agonist relaxes

SELECTED SKELETAL MUSCLES

I. Naming (=nomenclature)
A. For location
o Intercostals = between ribs; Brachii = in arms; Tibialis posterior = behind tibia
B. For direction (=orientation) of fibers
o Rectus = straight (up and down body); Transversus = across body
o Obliquus = at an angle (=obliquely) across body
C. For action

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 o Adductor; Flexor; Levator
D. For shape
o Deltoid = Greek letter (=Delta, Δ); Trapezius = trapezoid
E. For size
o Maximus = large; Minimus = small; Longus = long; Brevis = short
F. For number of heads of origin
o Biceps = 2; Triceps = 3; Quadriceps = 4
G. For points of attachment (i.e., origin and insertion)
o Sternocleidomastoid = sternum, clavicle, mastoid process
H. Various combinations of the preceding
o Adductor magnus, Biceps brachii, Rectus abdominis

OpenStax A&P Fig 11.3 Muscle Shapes and Fiber Alignment

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OpenStax A&P Fig 11.5 Overview of the Muscular System
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II. Muscles of the head
A. Associated with expression
1. Epicranius (=frontalis + occipitalis)
o Raises eyebrows
o Tension often cause of headaches
2. Orbicularis oculi = winking
3. Orbicularis oris = "kissing" muscle
4. Buccinator = "trumpeter's" muscle
5. Zygomaticus = smiling
6. Platysma = pouting, horror
7. Temporalis = chewing
8. Masseter = “chewing” muscle

OpenStax A&P Fig 11.7 Muscles of facial expression

OpenStax A&P Fig 11.10 Muscles that move the lower jaw
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 B. Associated with head movement
1. Sternocleidomastoid = "wry" neck
2. Splenius capitis = rotates head

OpenStax A&P Fig 11.14 Posterior and lateral views of the neck

III. Muscles of pectoral region

A. Pectoral girdle =
1. Trapezius
o Holds shoulders erect (if too relaxed, "under par")
o Shoulder shrugging
B. Associated with movement of upper arm
o Flexion/adduction of upper arm
o Flying muscle (="breast") of birds
2. Latissimus dorsi
o Extension/adduction of upper arm
o Important to swimmers
3. Deltoid
o Abduction of upper arm
o Common site of injections

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C. Associated with movement of forearm
1. Biceps brachii
o Flexion/supination of forearm; Demonstrates strength
2. Triceps brachii
o Antagonist of biceps; Important to boxers

OpenStax A&P Fig 11.15 Muscle of neck and back

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OpenStax A&P Fig 11.23 Muscles that move the humerus
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OpenStax A&P Fig 11.25 Muscles that move the forearm
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IV. Muscles of abdominopelvic area
A. Abdominal wall
1. General
o Help force air from lungs, defecate, urinate, vomit, childbirth
o Linea alba = tough CT extending from xiphoid process to pubic symphysis (serves for
attachment of some muscles)
2. External and internal oblique
3. Rectus abdominis = "washboard abs" of body builders

OpenStax A&P Fig 11.16 Muscles of the abdomen

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V. Muscles of pelvic region
A. Associated with movement of thigh
1. Gluteus maximus
a. Heaviest muscle in body, Extension of leg, Common site of injections
B. Associated with movement of thigh / leg
1. Posterior thigh
(=hamstring group = 3 muscles explained below…)
a. Flexion of leg / extension of thigh
(1) Consists of biceps femoris, semitendinosis,
semimembranosis
2. Anterior thigh
(=quads group = quadriceps femoris = 4 muscles explained below…)
a. extends leg / flexion of thigh
(1) Consists of rectus femoris, vastus lateralis (sometimes used for
injections, especially in infants), vastus medialis, and vastus
intermedius
(2) All have common insertion, patellar tendon, on or around patella
b. Sartorius
(1) Longest muscle in body
(2) Crosses lateral side of hip to medial side of knee
(3) Flexes thigh and leg and laterally rotates thigh (movements
required to cross the legs)
C. Gastrocnemius of leg
1. Helps extend foot in walking, running, jumping
2. Attached by calcaneal/Achille’s tendon to calcaneus
3. Allows standing on tips of toes
4. Plantarflexion (toes down / heel up)
D. Tibialis anterior of leg
1. Dorsiflexion (toes up / heel down)

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OpenStax A&P Fig 11.29 Hip and Thigh Muscles

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 OpenStax A&P Fig 11.32 Muscles of Lower Leg
(Please note the Gastrocnemius is cut, it is large "calf muscle" and superficial to soleus)

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