Chapter 9

Gross Anatomy and

Functions of
Skeletal Muscles

Skeletal Muscle
 General Principles
• The less movable end of a muscle attachment
is the origin; the more movable end is the
insertion
• An agonist causes a certain movement and an
antagonist acts in opposition to the agonist
• Synergists are muscles that function together
to produce movement
• Prime movers are mainly responsible for a
movement
– Fixators stabilize the action of prime movers
Fig. 9.1
 Nomenclature
Muscles are named according to their:
• Location
– Pectoralis (chest)
– Gluteus (buttock)
– Brachial (arm)
• Size
– Maximus (large)
– Minimus (small)
– Major (larger of two
muscles)
– Minor (smaller of two
muscles)
– Longus (long)
– Brevis (short)
• Origin and insertion
• Shape
– Deltoid (triangular)
– Quadratus (quadrate -
rectangular)
– Teres (round)
• Orientation of fasciculi
– Rectus (straight)
– Oblique (at an angle)
• Number of heads
– Biceps (two)
– Triceps (three)
• Function
– Abductor (away form midline)
– Adductor (towards midline)
– Masseter (a chewer)
 Movements Accomplished by Muscles
• Pull (P): muscle contraction applied to applied to
levers (force)
• Lever: a rigid shaft capable of turning about a
hinge, or pivot point, called a fulcrum (F)
• Effort: force applied to a lever
• Weight (W) – resistance moved by the effort
• Joints function as fulcrums
• Bones function as levers
• Muscles provide the pull to move the levers
Movements Accomplished by Muscles

• Class I Lever: the fulcrum is between the

pull and the weight
• Class II Lever: the weight is between the
fulcrum and the pull
• Class III Lever: the pull is applied
between the fulcrum and the weight
– Most common type in the body
Fig. 9.2
Movements Accomplished by Muscles

• Class I Lever: the fulcrum is between the

pull and the weight (FORCE)
Movements Accomplished by Muscles

• Class II Lever: the weight is between the

fulcrum and the pull (POWER)
Movements Accomplished by Muscles

• Class III Lever: the pull is applied

between the fulcrum and the weight
(SPEED)
– Most common type in the body
 I W - F- E
II F-W-E
III F-E-W
• General
Overview of the
Superficial Body
Musculature

Fig. 9.3a
• General
Overview of the
Superficial Body
Musculature

Fig. 9.3b
 Head and Neck Muscles
• Involved in
– Facial expression
– Mastication (chewing)
– Movement of the tongue
– Movement of the head and neck
 Facial Expression Muscles
• Cutaneous muscles
– Origins of facial muscles are on skull bones or
fascia
– Insertions are into the skin, causing
movement of the facial skin, lips, and eyelids
• Animals have cutaneous muscles all over
the trunk that allow skin to twitch
• Humans have cutaneous muscles
primarily on the face and neck
• Table 9.1 summarizes the muscles of
facial expression
Tab. 9.1
Tab. 9.1(Contd.)
Fig. 9.4a
Fig. 9.4b
Fig. 9.5
• ORBICULARIS OCULI - Eye closing
• LEVATOR PALPABRAE - Eye opening
• ORBITAL - Squinting
 Muscles of Mastication

• Mainly deal with the movement of the

mandible
– Temporalis and masseter muscles elevate the
mandible
– Gravity opens the jaw
– Digastric muscle depresses the mandible
– Pterygoid muscles move the mandible from
side to side
Fig. 9.6
Tab. 9.2
Fig. 9.7
Tab. 9.3
 Muscles that Move the Tongue

• Important in mastication and speech

• Two types of muscles
– Intrinsic muscles
• Change the shape of the tongue
• Found entirely within the tongue
– Extrinsic muscles
• Move the tongue
• Found outside of the tongue but are attached to it
Fig. 9.8
Tab. 9.4
Muscles that Move the Head and Neck

• Neck muscles cause flexion, extension,

rotation, and lateral flexion of the head
and neck
– Head extension is accomplished by the
splenius capitis and trapezius muscles
– Major head flexor is the sternocleidomastoid
– Lateral head movements are accomplished by
the sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscles
Fig. 9.9
Tab. 9.5