Chapter 10: The Muscular System

Prime mover: major responsibility for producing specific movement

Antagonist: Opposes or reverses particular movement
Synergist: Helps prime movers, adds extra force to the same movement. (SLO-10.1.1)
A muscle that crosses on the anterior side of a joint produces FLEXION
A muscle that crosses on the posterior side of a joint produces EXTENSION
A muscle that crosses on the lateral side of a joint produces ABDUCTION
A muscle that crosses that medial side of a joint produces ADDUCTION (SLO-10.1.2)
1. Muscle Location: bone or bony region associated with the muscle. Ex: temporalis (over
temporal bone)
2. Muscle Shape: Ex: deltoid muscle (triangle)
3. Muscle Size: Ex: maximus (largest), minimus (smallest), longus (long)
4. Direction of Muscle fibers or fascicles: Ex: rectus (fibers run straight), transversus, and
oblique (fibers run at angles to an imaginary defined axis)
5. Number of origins: Ex: biceps (2 origins), and triceps (3 origins)
6. Location of attachments: Ex: Named according to point of origin or insertion
7. Muscle action: named for action they produce. Ex: flexor or extensor
8. Several criteria can be combined: Ex: extensor carpi radialis longus (SLO-10.2)
1. Circular muscles: Ex: orbicularis oculi, urethral and anal sphincters
2. Convergent muscles: fan-shaped, broad at origin and tapering to a narrower insertion. Ex:
pectoralis major, temporalis
3. Parallel Muscles: can span longer distances that other shapes. Ex: rectus abdominis,
zygomaticus major
4. Fusiform muscles: thick in middle and tapered at ends Ex: biceps brachii, gastrocnemius
5. Pennate muscles- short fascicles attach obliquely to central tendon running length of
muscle.
Ex: unipennate: (palmar interosseus, extensor digitorum longus)
bipennate: (rectus femoris)
multipennate: (deltoid) (SLO-10.3)
1. A lever is a rigid bar that moves on a fixed point, or a fulcrum, when a force is applied to it.
2. The applied force, or effort, is used to move a resistance, or load.
3. In your body, your joints act as the fulcrums, the bones as the levers, and the muscle
contraction as the effort.
4.There are three types of levers: first-class, second-class, and third-class. (SLO-10.4.1)
First-class levers: the effort is applied to one end of the lever and the load is at the other,
with the fulcrum somewhere between (seesaws and scissors). some operate for mechanical
advantage/strength, but some operate for mechanical disadvantage/speed and distance
Second-class levers: the effort is applied at one end of the lever and the fulcrum is located at
the other, with the load between them (wheelbarrow) - uncommon in the body, but standing
on your toes in an example. always work at mechanical advantage
Third-class levers: the effort is applied between the load and the fulcrum; always speedy and
operate at a mechanical disadvantage. tweezers or forceps and examples; most skeletal
muscles act in this lever system, tend to be thicker and more powerful. (SLO-10.4.2)
10.1 For any movement, muscles can act in one of three ways.
Describe the functions of prime movers, antagonists, and synergists.
Prime Movers- is a muscle that has major responsibility for producing a specific movement.
Antagonist- muscles that oppose or reverse a particular movement.
Synergists- help prime movers by adding a little extra force to the same movement or by
reducing undesirable or unnecessary movements.
Explain how a muscle’s position relative to a joint affects its action.
10.2 How are skeletal muscles named?
List the criteria used in naming muscles. Provide an example to illustrate the use of each
criterion. Muscle location
Muscle shape: The temporals muscle overlies the temporal bone, and the brachialis muscle is
in the arm.
Muscle size: The deltoid muscle is roughly triangular the left & right trapezius muscles
together form a trapezoid.
Direction of muscle fibers
Number of origins: biceps, triceps, or quadriceps are example of number origins.
Location of the attachments
Muscle action: some muscles are named according to their organ & insertion . Ex.
Sternocleidomastoid . Sternum , clavicle, and mastoid of temporal bone.
Muscle Action- flexor, extensor, or adductor.
10.3 Fascicle arrangements help determine muscle shape and force. Name the common
patterns of muscle fascicle arrangement and relate them to power generation.
1. Circular: when the fascicles are arranged in concentric rings
2. Convergent: muscle has a broad origin, and its fascicles converge toward a single
tendon of insertion.
 3. Parallel: The length of the fascicles runs parallel to the long axis of the muscle.
4. Pennate: the fascicles (and muscle fibers) are short and they attach obliquely (Penna
= feather) to a central tendon that runs the length of the muscle.
a. Unipennate
b. Bipennate
c. Multipennate
10.4 Muscles acting with bones form lever systems.
Define lever and explain how a lever operating at a mechanical advantage differs from one
operating at a mechanical disadvantage.
Lever: rigid bar that moves on a fixed point called Fulcrum.
Mechanical advantage: the large load is moved only a small distance but the effort required
is also small.
Mechanical disadvantage: requiring a large effort to move a small load.
Name the three types of lever systems and indicate the arrangement of effort, fulcrum, and
load in each. Also, note the advantages of each type of lever system.
First-class lever: fulcrum is between the load and the effort) see-saw, scissors, atlas/occipital
joint-can occur mech. advantage/disadvantage
Second-class lever: load between fulcrum and effort) wheel barrow or tip toe feet uncommon
in the body. levers of strength. All work at Mech. Advantage
Third-class lever: effort applied between fulcrum and load) catapult, forearm (humerus/ulna
joint)mech. disadvantage speed and power.
10.5 A muscle’s origin and insertion determine its action.
Muscle- Superior, middle, inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles .
Description- three paired muscle whose fibers run circularly in the pharynx wall
Origin- attached interiorly to mandible and medial pterygoid plate, hyoid bone, and laryngeal
cartilages
Insertion- Posterior median raphe of pharynx.
Action- Constrict pharynx during swallowing, which propels food to esophagus.
Nerve Supply- Pharyngeal plexus