The Muscular

System
 The muscular system is an
organ system consisting of skeletal,
smooth and cardiac muscles. It permits
movement of the body, maintains posture
and circulates blood throughout the body.
 The muscular system is composed of specialized
cells called muscle fibers. Their predominant
function is contractibility. Muscles, attached to
bones or internal organs and blood vessels, are
responsible for movement. Nearly all movement
in the body is the result of muscle contraction.
Exceptions to this are the action of cilia, the 
flagellum on sperm cells, and amoeboid
 movement of some white blood cells.
 The integrated action of joints, bones,
and skeletal muscles produces obvious
movements such as walking and
running. Skeletal muscles also produce
more subtle movements that result in
various facial expressions, eye
 movements, and respiration.
 In addition to movement, muscle
contraction also fulfills some other
important functions in the body, such as
posture, joint stability, and heat production.
Posture, such as sitting and standing, is
maintained as a result of muscle
contraction. The skeletal muscles are
continually making fine adjustments that
hold the body in stationary positions.
 The tendons of many muscles extend over joints
and in this way contribute to joint stability. This
is particularly evident in the knee and shoulder
joints, where muscle tendons are a major factor
 in stabilizing the joint. Heat production, to
maintain body temperature, is an important by-
product of muscle metabolism. Nearly 85
percent of the heat produced in the body is the
result of muscle contraction.
Structure of Skeletal Muscle
A whole skeletal muscle is considered
an organ of the muscular system. Each
organ or muscle consists
of skeletal muscle tissue,
connective tissue, nerve tissue, and 
blood or vascular tissue.
Skeletal muscles vary considerably in size,
shape, and arrangement of fibers. They 
range from extremely tiny strands such as
the stapedium muscle of the middle ear to
large masses such as the muscles of the
thigh.
Some skeletal muscles are broad in shape
and some narrow. In some muscles the
fibers are parallel to the long axis of the
muscle; in some they converge to a narrow
attachment; and in some they are oblique.
The interstitial connective tissue of muscle
is subdivided into
the epimysium (surrounds the entire
muscle), perimysium (surrounds large
angular fascicles divided into primary
fascicles of
10 100 fibers),
and endomysium (surrounds individual
muscle fibers)
The Muscles
You have about 650 muscles in your body.
While bones give the body structure and
support, they cannot move by themselves.
Muscles are needed for all body movements
like walking, running , talking, breathing and
others. The four functions of muscles are
movement, maintenance of posture, production
of body heat and muscles help give our body
its shape.
Muscle Types
1. Skeletal Muscles
(striated)
2. Smooth Muscles
3. Cardiac Muscles
Skeletal Muscle
Skeletal muscle, attached to bones, is responsible
for skeletal movements. The peripheral portion of
the central nervous system (CNS) controls the
skeletal muscles. Thus, these muscles are under
conscious, or voluntary, control. The basic unit is
the muscle fiber with many nuclei. These 
muscle fibers are striated (having transverse
 streaks) and each act independently of
neighboring muscle fibers.
Why are muscles striated?
Striated muscles are highly organized tissues
that convert chemical energy to physical work.
The primary function of striated muscles is to
generate force and contract in order to support
respiration, locomotion, and posture
(skeletal muscle) and to pump blood
throughout the body (cardiac muscle).
Smooth Muscle
Smooth muscle, found in the walls of the
hollow internal organs such as blood vessels,
the gastrointestinal tract, bladder, and uterus, is
under control of the autonomic nervous system.
Smooth muscle cannot be controlled
consciously and thus acts involuntarily. The
non-striated (smooth) muscle cell is spindle-
shaped and has one central nucleus. Smooth
muscle contracts slowly and rhythmically.
Cardiac Muscles
Cardiac muscle, found in the walls of the 
heart, is also under control of the autonomic
nervous system. The cardiac muscle cell has
one central nucleus, like smooth muscle, but
it also is striated, like skeletal muscle. The
cardiac muscle cell is rectangular in shape.
The contraction of cardiac muscle is
involuntary, strong, and rhythmical.
Characteristics of Muscles
The muscles whether they are skeletal,
smooth or cardiac have four
characteristics in common:
 CONTRACTIBILITY
When the muscle shortens or contracts, it
reduces the distance between the parts of
its content or the space that it surrounds.
The contraction of skeletal muscles which
connects a pair of bones brings the
attachment point closer together which
causes the bone to move.
When cardiac muscles and other smooth
muscles contract they squeeze out the
blood causing the surrounding blood
vessels to relax and increase in diameter
to allow the passage of blood in these
tubes and to decrease upon contraction.
 EXCITABILITY (Irritability)
It is the ability of the muscle and
the nervous cells (neurons) to
respond to certain stimuli by
producing electric signals called
action potentials or impulses.
 EXTENSIBILITY
It is the ability to be stretched.
Like when the biceps muscle
contracts to lift the bone, the
triceps muscle then extends or
stretched.
 ELASTICITY
It the ability of the muscles to
return in its original length when
relaxing.
Muscle Contraction
Skeletal muscle is attached to the bone
by long ropy strands called tendon.
The skeletal muscles contract or
shorten, to move the bones. A muscle
only pulls in one direction.
It needs another muscle to pull in the
muscle in the opposite direction in
order to return a bone to its original
position. When you straighten the arm
the triceps contracts pulling the biceps
back to a relax position
• ISOTONIC – when muscles
contract, they shorten, and
movements occurs.
• ISOMETRIC – when the muscles
contract but the muscles do not shorten
or produce movement. A contraction
where the muscle keeps the same length
despite increasing tension. There is also
no movement in the joint during
this contraction.
An example of an isometric
contraction would be carrying an object in
front of you. The weight of the object would be
pulling downward, but your hands and arms
would be opposing the motion with equal force
going upwards. Since your arms are neither
raising or lowering, your biceps will be
isometrically contracting.
Muscle Tone
Muscle tone (or tonus) is the continuous and
passive partial contraction of the muscles, or
the muscle's resistance to passive stretch
during resting state. Muscle tone helps to
maintain posture and declines during REM
sleep. If the muscles of the neck, trunk and
legs suddenly relax, the body collapses.
Oxygen Debt
Oxygen Debt is the condition when we
continuously breathe deeply and pant after
strenuous exercise or work. This continued
intake of oxygen is required to complete the
metabolism of lactic acid (acid causing pain to
muscles) that accumulated during the
exercise.
Why does lactic acid build up during exercise?
When you exercise, your body uses oxygen to
break down glucose for
energy. During intense exercise, there may not be
enough oxygen available to complete the process, so
a substance called lactate is made. But this
lactate or lactic acid can build up in your
bloodstream faster than you can burn it off .
Muscle Groups
There are more than 600
muscles in the body, which
together account for about 40
percent of a person's weight.
 Most skeletal muscles have names that
describe some feature of the muscle. Often
several criteria are combined into one name.
Associating the muscle's characteristics with
its name will help you learn and remember
them. The following are some terms relating
to muscle features that are used in naming
muscles.
1. Location - pectoralis
(chest); gluteus (buttock or
rump); brachii (arm); supra-
(above); infra- (below); sub-
(under or beneath); lateralis
(lateral).
Many muscles’ names indicate the muscle’s
location. For example, the tibialis anterior is
named after the part of the bone that it is
attached to (the anterior portion of the tibia),
and the names of the brachialis and
brachioradialis muscles tell you that they are
located in the arm because the
word bracchium means “arm” in Latin.
2. Size - vastus (huge);
maximus (large); longus
(long); minimus (small); brevis
(short).
Many muscles in a region are distinguished by
their size. For example, in the buttocks region,
you have the gluteus minimus (small), gluteus
medius (medium), and gluteus maximus
(large). Longus (longest) and brevis (shortest)
are other common suffixes added to muscle
names.
3. Shape: deltoid (triangular);
rhomboid (like a rhombus with
equal and parallel sides); latissimus
(wide); teres (round); trapezius
(like a trapezoid, a four-sided
figure with two sides parallel).
Some muscles are named after shapes. For
example, the shoulder muscle, more properly
known as the deltoid, has a Delta-like or
triangular shape; the trapezius has a trapezoid
shape; the serratus has a serrated or saw-
toothed shape; and the rhomboid major has a
rhomboid or diamond-like shape.
4. Direction of fibers: rectus
(straight); transverse (across);
oblique (diagonally);
orbicularis (circular).
The terms rectus (parallel), transverse
(perpendicular), and oblique (at an angle) in muscle
names tell you the angle in which the muscle’s fibers
run relative to the midline of the body. For example,
in the abdominal region, the fibers of the rectus
abdominis run parallel with the midline, the fibers of
the transverse abdominis run perpendicular relative
to the midline, and the fibers of the external oblique
run at an angle relative to the midline.
The terms rectus (parallel), transverse (perpendicular), and oblique (at an angle) in
muscle names tell you the angle in which the muscle’s fibers run relative to the
midline of the body. For example, in the abdominal region, the fibers of the rectus
abdominis run parallel with the midline, the fibers of the transverse abdominis run
perpendicular relative to the midline, and the fibers of the external oblique run at an
angle relative to the midline.
5. Number of origins: biceps
(two heads); triceps (three
heads); quadriceps (four
heads).
Muscles are usually attached to two bones. One
end of the muscle attaches to one bone and the
other end attaches to another. Traditionally, the
proximal end of a muscle (the end of the
muscle that is closest to the head) is known as
its origin, whereas the distal end of a muscle
(the end of the muscle that is farthest from the
head) is known as its insertion
6. Origin and insertion:
sternocleidomastoid (origin on the
sternum and clavicle, insertion on the
mastoid process); brachioradialis
(origin on the brachium or arm,
insertion on the radius).
7. Action (or Function): abductor (to
abduct a structure); adductor (to
adduct a structure); flexor (to flex a
structure); extensor (to extend a
structure); levator (to lift or elevate a
structure); masseter (a chewer).
Muscles are also sometimes named after their
function or action. Terms such as flexor,
extensor, abductor, and adductor are added as
prefixes to muscle names to indicate the kind
of movement that they generate. For example,
the wrist flexors flex the wrist, the wrist
extensors extend the wrist, and the adductor
magnus adducts the thigh (pulls it towards the
midline).
Skeletal Muscles

The following sets of muscles are

those directly responsible in
producing major body movements:
Masseter
The masseter runs from the temporal bone (that forms part of the sides and base of the skull) to the lower jaw
(the mandible). It lifts the lower jaw, to close the mouth. The masseter is the strongest muscle in your body.
The masseter lifts the lower jaw to close the mouth and it is the strongest muscle in your body.
The temporalis helps close the mouth.
Temporalis
The temporalis begins on two bones of the skull, at the front (the frontal) and at the side and base (the
temporal). It runs to the top of the lower jaw (the mandible). Like the masseter, the temporalis helps close the
mouth.
• MUSCLES OF THE NECK
1. Sternocleidomastoid are large
muscles extending diagonally
down the sides of the neck.
Possible movements are flexion,
extension and rotation (twist) of
the head
• MUSCLES OF THE UPPER
EXTREMITIES
The trapezius muscle is a large muscle bundle that extends from the
back of your head and neck to your shoulder. It is composed of three
parts: the upper trapezius, middle trapezius, and the lower trapezius.
The trapezius commonly referred to as the traps, are responsible for
pulling your shoulders up, as in shrugging, and pulling your shoulders
back during scapular retraction.
The anterior deltoid attaches at the collarbone and allows you to flex
your shoulder joint and rotate the shoulder inward. The
middle deltoid and posterior deltoid attach at different parts of your
shoulder blade. The middle deltoid attaches to the shoulder blade and
allows you abduct your arm.
Pectoralis major
(The pecs!) The pectoralis major is a large, fan-shaped muscle. It covers
much of the front upper chest, beginning at the breastbone (or sternum)
including the second to the sixth ribs.
From there, the pectoralis major attaches to the collar bone (or clavicle)
and converges on the upper arm bone (or humerus), just below the
shoulder. This muscle abducts moves the arm across the body.
The pectoralis minor is a thin, flat muscle found immediately
underneath the pectoralis major. This is the smaller of the two pectoral
muscles, or muscles of the chest. This muscle extends from three
origins on the third, fourth, and fifth ribs on each side of the ribcage to
the coracoid process (a small, hook-like structure) of the scapula, or
shoulder blade.
Serratus anterior muscle is to allow the forward rotation of
the arm and to pull the scapula forward and around the rib
cage. The scapula is able to move laterally due to
the serratus anterior muscle, which is vital for the elevation
of the arm.
The biceps brachii runs from the shoulder to the elbow. It is attached
to the shoulder blade (the scapula) and extends along the front surface
of the upper arm bone (the humerus). When the bicep contracts, the
arm bends at the elbow. Notice that humerus sounds like humour – we
call this area of the elbow the funny bone.
The main action of the triceps brachii muscle is to extend
the forearm, which involves straightening the arm at the
elbow joint. This muscle also helps to stabilize the humerus
within the shoulder joint.
Flexor carpi ulnaris muscle (FCU) is the most medial flexor
muscles in the superficial compartment of the forearm. It can
adduct and flex the wrist at the same time; acts in tandem
with FCR to flex the wrist and with the extensor carpi
ulnaris to adduct the wrist.
Extensor and Flexor Carpi Muscle
Group – are muscles that ex tend
from the anterior and posterior
forearm to the hand. This group
moves the hand
Extensor and Flexor Digitorum
Muscle Groups – extends from the
anterior and posterior forearm to
the fingers. It moves the fingers
• MUSCLES OF THE TRUNK
The external intercostal muscles are responsible for forced
and quiet inhalation. They raise the ribs and expand the chest
cavity, and originate from ribs one through 11, with insertion
from ribs two to 12. The internal intercostal muscles are
responsible for forced exhalation.
The diaphragm is a thin skeletal muscle that sits at the base of the
chest and separates the abdomen from the chest. It contracts and
flattens when you inhale. This creates a vacuum effect that pulls air
into the lungs. When you exhale, the diaphragm relaxes and the air is
pushed out of lungs.
The main function of the rectus abdominis is to
flex the spinal column or trunk of the body. Therefore, this
muscle allows a person to bend forward, such as when they
bend over to pick something off the ground or when they
perform a sit-up or crunch.
External Oblique – is located at the
anterior edge of the last eight
ribs that depresses the ribs, flexes
the spinal column and compresses
the abdominal cavity
Internal Oblique – is found directly
beneath the external oblique
with fibers running in the opposite
direction that depresses the ribs,
flexes the spinal column and
compresses the abdominal cavity
• MUSCLES OF THE LOWER
EXTREMITIES
The gluteus maximus muscle is located in the buttocks and is
regarded as one of the strongest muscles in the human body. It is
connected to the coccyx, or tailbone, as well as other surrounding
bones. The gluteus maximus muscle is responsible for movement of
the hip and thigh. It also rotates the femur outwards.
Gluteus medius is the prime mover of abduction at hip joint. Anterior
portion of Gluteus medius abduct, assist in flexion and medial rotation
of hip. Posterior portion of Gluteus medius abduct, assist in extension
and lateral rotation of hip.
The tensor fasciae latae works in synergy with the gluteus medius and
gluteus minimus muscles to abduct and medially rotate the femur. The
TFL is a hip abductor muscle. To stretch the tensor fasciae latae, the
knee may be brought medially across the body (adducted).
Along with the gluteus medius and tensor fasciae latae, the
gluteus minimus serves as the primary internal rotator of the
hip joint. The gluteus minimus helps with abduction
(movement away from the midline of the body) and medial
(inward) rotation of the thigh at the hip.
A muscle in the quadriceps, the rectus femoris muscle is
attached to the hip and helps to extend or raise the knee. This
muscle is also used to flex the thigh. The rectus
femoris is the only muscle that can flex the hip.
The hamstrings cross and act upon two joints – the hip and the knee –
and as such are termed biarticular muscles. Semitendinosus and
semimembranosus extend the hip when the trunk is fixed; they also
flex the knee and medially (inwardly) rotate the lower leg when the
knee is bent.
Muscles with two points of origin are
called biceps. The biceps femoris has three
primary functions: extending the thigh,
bending the knee, and rotating the knee toward
the outside of the body. The long head is
involved in thigh extension and is known as an
extensor muscle.
The sartorius muscle can move the hip joint and the knee joint, but all
of its actions are weak, making it a synergist muscle. At the hip, it can
flex, weakly abduct, and laterally rotate the thigh. At the knee, it can
flex the leg; when the knee is flexed, sartorius medially rotates the leg.
Adductor Longus
The adductor longus is located on the inner thigh. Adduct
means move, so this muscle allows the thigh bone (the femur)
to move inward and to the side.
The tibialis anterior is a muscle in humans that originates in the upper
two-thirds of the lateral (outside) surface of the tibia and inserts
into the medial cuneiform and first metatarsal bones of the foot. It acts
to dorsiflex and invert the foot.
The soleus is the plantar flexor muscle of the ankle. It is capable of
exerting powerful forces onto the ankle joint. It is located on the back of
the lower leg and originates at the posterior (rear) aspect of the fibular
head and the medial border of the tibial shaft.
Along with the soleus muscle, the gastrocnemius forms half of the calf
muscle. Its function is plantar flexing the foot at the ankle joint and
flexing the leg at the knee joint.
Actions: plantar flexes foot, flexes knee
Insertion: tendo calcaneus (achilles tendon)
The peroneus longus (also known as fibularis longus) is a
superficial muscle in the lateral compartment of the leg, and
acts to evert and plantarflex the ankle.
Muscle Structure and Size
Muscles will only change in size but
not in the number of cells. Muscles
that have been injured can regenerate
only to a limited degree. If the muscle
damage is extensive, then the muscle
tissue is replaced by connective tissue
(scar).
Muscles that are not used will atrophy (shrink
in size and reduced in
strength) and those that are used excessively
will hypertrophy (increase in size). Muscles
that are over exercised or worked will have a
tremendous increase of connective tissue
between the muscle fiber. This causes the
skeletal muscle to become tougher.
Notes:
• The largest muscle in your body is the
gluteus maximus located in your thigh and
buttocks.
• If you stand on tiptoe, you can see the
calf muscle in the back of your leg
• The longest muscle in your body is the
sartorius muscle in the upper leg
• Some of your arm muscles are attachedto
the bones in your back. This strong anchor
enables you to pick up the heavier things
• The muscle of the hands allows you to
make a delicate, accurate and powerful
movement. Your flexible fingers have many
small muscles which are useful for precise
job. Your fingers and thumb work together
to let you grasp things tightly to support you
if you hang on the bar or support your
body when the body is on an inverted
position on a handstand.
• Muscles are attached to the
bones that make them move.
They can only pull; they cannot
push which is why they always
move in pair.
Role of Muscles
Muscles have various role in a
given movement which is
dependent on the requirement of
that movement.. Those roles are
designated as prime mover,
antagonist, and synergist.
• MOVERS or AGONIST – is a
muscle that is directly responsible
to producing a movement.
1. Prime movers – are muscles that
do most of the work to produce
movement.
2. Assistant movers – are the
muscles that help to perform the
movements but seem to be of less
importance.
• SYNERGIST – are muscles that
act as neutralizers or stabilizers.
These aids in the production of
the desired motion use to indicate
cooperative muscle functioning in
various roles.
1. Stabilizers, fixators, supports muscles – are
the muscles that contracts statically, to steady
or support some part of the body against the
pull of the contracting muscle , against the pull
of gravity or any other force that interferes
with the desired movement 2. Neutralizer – is
a muscle that acts to prevent an undesired
action of the mover,
• ANTAGONISTS – are muscles
that cause the opposite movement
from that of the movers.
Muscle Food
To keep the muscle working
properly, you need a diet that
includes protein like eggs,
cheese, milk and dried beans.
Effect of Training on Muscle
Efficiency
• Improved coordination of all muscles
involved in a particular activity
• Improvement in the respiratory and
circulatory system to supplythe needs of
an active muscular system
• Elimination and reduction of excess fat
• Improved joint movement involvedwith a
particular muscle activity
Effect of Training on Muscle
Strength
STRENGTH (capacity to do work) is increased by
proper training. Training can have the following
effects on skeletal muscles:
• Increases in muscle size
• Improves antagonistic muscle coordination,
where antagonistic muscles are relaxed at the
right moment and do not interfere with the
functioning of the working muscle
• Improves functioning in the cortical brain
region, where the nerveimpulses starts
muscular contraction
Common Exercise and Sports
Injuries
• Muscle Strain – is a tear in the
muscle resulting fro excessive use.
There is a limited bleeding inside
that can result swelling and pain
(ice pack helps to stop bleeding
and swelling)
• Muscle Spasm (cramp) - is a sustained
contraction of the muscle that may occur
due to overuse of muscle. Cramps are
caused by the build –up of a waste
substance called lactic acid. Too much
lactic acid built up on the muscle causes
the muscle to contract very sharply and
painfully.
• Rotator Cuff – is an inflammation
of group of tendons that fuse together
and surrounds the shoulder joint. This
occurs due to repetitive overhead
swinging a tennis racquet or pitching a
ball
• Shin Splint – is an injury to the
muscle tendon in the front of the
shin that occurs in jogging. Using
the correct running shoes may
prevent such an injury
• Tennis Elbow – is an inflamed
tendon that connects the arm
muscle to elbow.. this may occur
carrying heavy luggage, playing
tennis or pounding hammer.
Note:
• It isquite important that before
you beginto makeanystrenuous
movements, you should always
start with a warm up exercise,
doing gentle loosening-up and
stretching exercise.
• It isalso important that you
endup with a cool-down exercise
to relax the muscle that had bee
forced to contract during the
activities.
• Muscles are able to adapt
gradually to the amount of
work they have to do, so
regular exercise can build the up
and make them healthier.