The muscular system is a set of tissues in the body with the ability to change shape.

 Muscle cells connect
together and eventually to elements of the skeletal system. When the muscle cells contract, force is
created as the muscles pull against the skeleton.

he muscular system contains more than 600 muscles that work together to enable the full functioning of
the body.

There are 3 types of muscles in the body:

Skeletal muscle

Skeletal muscles are the only muscles that can be consciously controlled. They are attached to bones,
and contracting the muscles causes movement of those bones.

Any action that a person consciously undertakes involves the use of skeletal muscles. Examples of such
activities include running, chewing, and writing.

Smooth muscle

Smooth muscle lines the inside of blood vessels and organs, such as the stomach, and is also known as
visceral muscle.

It is the weakest type of muscle but has an essential role in moving food along the digestive tract and
maintaining blood circulation through the blood vessels.

Smooth muscle acts involuntarily and cannot be consciously controlled.

Cardiac muscle

Located only in the heart, cardiac muscle pumps blood around the body. Cardiac muscle stimulates its
own contractions that form our heartbeat. Signals from the nervous system control the rate of
contraction. This type of muscle is strong and acts involuntarily.

The muscular system relies on the coordinated action of millions of actin and myosin filaments pulling in
the same direction at the same time. To achieve this coordination, muscles are innervated by
the nervous system. Nerve signals originating in the brain travel to specific muscles, allowing
organisms to stimulate specific muscle tissues to produce coordinated actions like running, swimming,
and flying.
Muscular System Function

Movement

The most obvious function of the muscular system is movement. Organisms have adopted a variety of
methods to use the contractile function of the muscular system to move through the environment. The
most basic movements of fish include contracting muscles on opposite sides of the body in succession.
This action propels them through the water.

In organisms with limbs, tendons and other connective tissues are used to secure muscles to the joints
and skeleton. Skeletons may be internal like the human skeletons, or they may be external like
the exoskeleton of crabs. The nervous system coordinates the contraction of the muscular system to
synchronize the movement of the limbs. Animals like the cheetah, swordfish, and bat have obtained
speeds above 60 miles per hour or more through the power of their muscles alone.

Circulation

The second and less obvious function of the muscular system is to assist with circulation. Visceral
and cardiac muscle tissues surround the blood vessels and lymph vessels that carry crucial nutrients
and oxygen to the cells of the body. Cardiac muscle makes up the heart and supplies the main force for
blood traveling through the body.

Large arteries and veins have associated muscles which can contract or relax to control blood pressure.
The actions of large skeletal muscles also help pump the blood and lymph fluid throughout the body.
While you exercise and contract large and small muscles, they push vessels aside, which works like a
pump to move fluids around your body.

Digestion

Much like its ability to move fluids through vessels in the circulatory system, the muscular system also
aids in moving food through the digestive system. Most digestive organs are surrounded by
smooth muscle tissue. Although the tissue cannot be voluntarily contracted like skeletal muscles, it is
controlled subconsciously. When food needs to be moved through the gut, the muscles contract in a
synchronized fashion in a wave through the digestive system. These wave-like muscular contractions are
called peristalsis.

Skeletal Muscle

Striated muscle, or Skeletal muscle, is the tissue most commonly associated with the muscular system.
This type of muscle attaches to the skeleton and moves the limbs and body of an organism. Skeletal
muscle systems are composed of striated muscle which has distinct bands of proteins in
each myofibril. When these proteins are given energy, they slide past each other, pulling the ends of
each muscle cell together. The sarcomeres, or function units of actin and myosin, produce the banding
that can be seen in striated muscle. This can be seen in the image below.
Visceral Muscle

By contrast, visceral muscle cells do not contain these stark bands of protein, and the actin and myosin
fibers work differently. Instead of thick fibers than run through the cell, visceral muscle is surrounded by
a net of actin and myosin fibers, which squeezes the cell when contracted. This can be seen in the image
below. Visceral muscle is also known as smooth muscle for this reason.

Cardiac Muscle

Cardiac muscle, which surrounds the chambers of the heart, is striated like skeletal muscle, but the cells
are connected to adjacent cells, which creates more of a contractile motion to pump the blood.

9 Functions of the Muscular System

Muscles play a part in every function of the body. The muscular system is made up of over 600 muscles.
These include three muscle types: smooth, skeletal, and cardiac.

Only skeletal muscles are voluntary, meaning you can control them consciously. Smooth and cardiac
muscles act involuntarily.

Each muscle type in the muscular system has a specific purpose. You’re able to walk because of your
skeletal muscles. You can digest because of your smooth muscles. And your heart beats because of your
cardiac muscle.

The different muscle types also work together to make these functions possible. For instance, when you
run (skeletal muscles), your heart pumps harder (cardiac muscle), and causes you to breathe heavier
(smooth muscles).

Keep reading to learn more about your muscular system’s functions.

1. Mobility

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Your skeletal muscles are responsible for the movements you make. Skeletal muscles are attached to
your bones and partly controlled by the central nervous system (CNS).

You use your skeletal muscles whenever you move. Fast-twitch skeletal muscles cause short bursts of
speed and strength. Slow-twitch muscles function better for longer movements.
2. Circulation

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The involuntary cardiac and smooth muscles help your heart beat and blood flow through your body by
producing electrical impulses. The cardiac muscle (myocardium) is found in the walls of the heart. It’s
controlled by the autonomic nervous system responsible for most bodily functions.

The myocardium also has one central nucleus like a smooth muscle.

Your blood vessels are made up of smooth muscles, and also controlled by the autonomic nervous
system.

Did you know?

1. Your heart is considered the body’s hardest-working muscle.

3. Respiration

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Your diaphragm is the main muscle at work during quiet breathing. Heavier breathing, like what you
experience during exercise, may require accessory muscles to help the diaphragm. These can include the
abdominal, neck, and back muscles.
4. Digestion

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Digestion is controlled by smooth muscles found in your gastrointestinal tract. This comprises the:

 mouth

 esophagus

 stomach

 small and large intestines

 rectum

 anus

The digestive system also includes the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder.

Your smooth muscles contract and relax as food passes through your body during digestion. These
muscles also help push food out of your body through defecation, or vomiting when you’re sick.

5. Urination

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Smooth and skeletal muscles make up the urinary system. The urinary system includes the:

 kidneys

 bladder
  ureters

 urethra

 penis or

vagina

 prostate

All the muscles in your urinary system work together so you can urinate. The dome of your bladder is
made of smooth muscles. You can release urine when those muscles tighten. When they relax, you can
hold in your urine.

6. Childbirth

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Smooth muscles are found in the uterus. During pregnancy, these muscles grow and stretch as the baby
grows. When a woman goes into labor, the smooth muscles of the uterus contract and relax to help
push the baby through the vagina.

7. Vision

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Your eye sockets are made up of six skeletal muscles that help you move your eyes. And the internal
muscles of your eyes are made up of smooth muscles. All these muscles work together to help you see.
If you damage these muscles, you may impair your vision.
8. Stability

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The skeletal muscles in your core help protect your spine and help with stability. Your core muscle group
includes the abdominal, back, and pelvic muscles. This group is also known as the trunk. The stronger
your core, the better you can stabilize your body. The muscles in your legs also help steady you.

9. Posture

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Your skeletal muscles also control posture. Flexibility and strength are keys to maintaining proper
posture. Stiff neck muscles, weak back muscles, or tight hip muscles can throw off your alignment. Poor
posture can affect parts of your body and lead to joint pain and weaker muscles. These parts include
the:

 shoulders

 spine

 hips

 knees

The bottom line

The muscular system is a complex network of muscles vital to the human body. Muscles play a part in
everything you do. They control your heartbeat and breathing, help digestion, and allow movement.

Muscles, like the rest of your body, thrive when you exercise and eat healthily. But too much exercise
can cause sore muscles. Muscle pain can also be a sign that something more serious is affecting your
body.
The following conditions can affect your muscular system:

 myopathy (muscle disease)

 muscular dystrophy

 multiple sclerosis (MS)

 Parkinson’s disease

 fibromyalgia