Axial and Appendicular Muscles

Thursday, September 29, 2022

1:49 PM
 
Muscles are actually organs made up of specialized cells that use chemical energy from food to produce
contractions that let you move, breathe, and beyond.
 
And there are three types of muscle tissues, skeletal, smooth, cardiac.
 
Skeletal muscles are attached to our bones by tendons, and we control them voluntarily to do thing.
 
Just like bones, muscles can be categorized based on their location. Axial muscles are any of the skeletal
muscles of the trunk or head. Muscle names often describe one or more properties of the muscles,
indicating location, action, attachment, shape, or size. This can be useful when you’re learning their
names and properties.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Appendicular muscles are any of the muscles of the upper or lower limbs. They control the
movement of limbs and also stabilize and control the movements of pectoral and pelvic girdles.

 
 

The trapezius is a large superficial muscle that extends from the occipital bone to the lower thoracic
vertebrae and to the spine of the scapula It is one of several muscles involved in the movement of the
scapula.

Actions: Rotation, retraction, elevation, and depression movements of scapula, and support of the arm

 
Although the arm is part of the appendicular skeleton, some axial muscles are involved in its support and
movement.
 
 
Pectoralis major:
The pectoralis major is a fan-shaped muscle on the chest, making up the bulk of the male chest and found
under the breast in a female.

Actions: Flexes, extends ,adducts and rotates the arm at the shoulder

 
 
 
 

Pectoralis minor:
The pectoralis minor is a thin, triangular muscle found deep to, or underneath, the pectoralis major.

Actions: Draws scapula forward and downward

 
Latissimus dorsi:
The latissimus dorsi, commonly known as “lats,” are large, flat muscles posterior to the arm and partly
covered by the trapezius. This is the broadest muscle in the back.

Actions: Adducts, medially rotates, and extends arm at the shoulder

External oblique:
The external oblique is a broad and thin muscle found on the lateral and anterior parts of the abdomen. It
is called the "external" oblique because is the most superficial, or outermost, of the three flat muscles of
the lateral anterior abdomen.

Actions: Flexes vertebral column by drawing thorax inward, rotates and laterally flexes vertebral column
(torso), and compresses abdomen

 
Rectus abdominis:
The rectus abdominis muscle, commonly called the “abs,” is a paired muscle that runs vertically on the
anterior wall of the human abdomen. These two parallel muscles are separated by a midline band of
connective tissue.

Actions: Flexes the vertebral column (and torso), compresses abdomen, and assists in breathing
 

Deltoid:
The deltoid muscle forms the rounded shape of the shoulder. It earned this name because of its triangular
shape, similar to Greek letter Delta (triangle).

Actions: Abduction, flexion, and extension of shoulder

 
Triceps brachii:
The triceps brachii muscle, commonly called the “triceps is the large muscle on the back of the arm. It is
sometimes called a three-headed muscle because there are three bundles of muscles, each with different
origins, joining together at the elbow.

Actions: Extends forearm, straightens elbow

 
Biceps brachii:
The biceps brachii, often called "biceps," is a two-headed muscle (bi- means “two”).It lies on the upper
arm between the shoulder and the elbow.

Gluteus maximus:
The gluteus maximus is a narrow and thick muscle that makes up a large portion of the shape and
appearance of the buttocks. Together with the gluteus Medius and gluteus minimus, they form the
“glutes.”
 
Actions: External rotation and extension of the hip join
 
 
 
 
Hamstrings:
The hamstrings are a large muscle group that occupies the back of the thigh. It is made up of
three muscles:

 semimembranosus
 semitendinosus
 biceps femoris
Actions: Flexes knee joint, rotates the knee joint laterally, and extends the thigh

 
Quadriceps femoris:
The quadriceps femoris is a large muscle group that occupies the front and sides of the thigh. As
the prefix quad- indicates, it is made up of four muscles:

 rectus femoris
 vastus lateralis
 vastus medialis
 vastus intermedius
Actions: Knee extension and hip flexion
 
Gastrocnemius:
The gastrocnemius muscle on the back of the leg forms part of the calf. It is a powerful muscle that, along
with the soleus muscle, forms the calf.

Actions: Plantar flexion of the foot (flexing the foot toe-down, greater than 90 degrees), flexes knee.