Skeletal Muscle Activity

Actions of skeletal muscles

• The attachment of a muscle to none at
one end is the origin and at the other
end is the insertion.
• Skeletal muscles are arranged in groups with
specific functions to perform: flexion,
extension, external and internal rotation,
abduction and adduction.
• The agonists or prime movers, give
power to flexion; the opposing group,
antagonists, contribute to smooth
movements.

Let’s have the flexion of the elbow as an

example!!!
• Other groups of muscles act to hold the arm
and shoulder in a suitable position for action,
and are called fixation muscles.

• The synergists are muscles that assist the

agonists and reduce undesired action or
unnecessary movement.
When tension of the flexor muscles is
increased, the tone of the extensor
muscles is decreased, movement is
controlled and position is maintained.
Types of Body Movements
5 Golden Rules of Skeletal Muscle Activity

1. With few exceptions, all muscles cross at

least one joint.

2. Typically, the bulk of the muscle lies proximal

to the joint crossed.
5 Golden Rules of Skeletal Muscle Activity

3. All muscles have at least two attachments:

the origin and the insertion
5 Golden Rules of Skeletal Muscle Activity

4. Muscles can only pull; they never push.

5. During contraction, the muscle insertion

moves toward the origin.
 Try to demonstrate each
movement as you read the
description and check on the
next slide’s photo, if you got it
right!
 Flexion
• A movement that decreases the angle of the
joint and brings to bones closer together.

• Typical in hinge joints and common at ball-and

socket joints
 Extension
• Opposite of flexion

• A movement that increases the angle or

distance, between two bones and part of the
body

• If extension is greater than 180°, it is

hyperextension
 Rotation
• Movement of bone along its longitudinal axis

• Common movement of ball-and socket joints

and describes the movement of atlas around
the dens of axis
 Abduction
• Moving a limb away from the midline of the
body

• The term also applies the fanning movement

of the fingers and toes when they are spread
apart.
 Adduction
• Opposite of abduction

• Movement of the limb towards the

body or midline
 Circumduction
• A combination of flexion, extension, abduction
and adduction commonly seen in ball0and-
socket joints.

• The proximal end of the limb is stationary, and

its distal end move in a circle.

• The limb as a whole outlines a circle.

 Dorsiflexion and Plantar Flexion
• Up and down movement of the foot at the ankle

• Dorsiflexion
When you lift the foot so that its superior
surface approaches the shin like standing on your
heels

Plantar flexion
depressing the foot like pointing the toes
 Inversion and Eversion
• To invert the foot, turn the sole medially.

• To evert the foot, turn the sole laterally.

 Supination and Pronation
• Supination – turning backward

• Pronation – turning forward

• Supination occurs when the forearm rotates

laterally so that the palm faces anteriorly, and
the radius and ulna are parallel.
• Pronation occurs when the forearm
rotates medially so that the palm
faces posteriorly.
 Opposition
• This is the action by which you move your
thumb to touch the tips of other fingers on
the same hand.

• Grasp and manipulate things