MUSCULAR SYSTEM

What are muscles?

Muscle is defined as a tissue primarily composed of specialized cells/fibres which are capable of
contracting in order to effect movement. This can relate to movement of the body or body parts with
our external environment, however did you know that almost all movement of blood, food and other
substances within the body is often the result of muscle contraction?

Depending on the type, the primary function of muscle is to move the bones of the skeleton. However,
muscles also enable the heart to beat and can be found in the walls of hollow organs, such as the
intestines, uterus and stomach.

Because we have so many muscles, injuries and health conditions that affect them are common.
Everyone has a sore muscle every once in a while, but long-term muscle pain, weakness and other
symptoms can be signs of serious issues.

Anatomy of Muscles

Our muscles are made of thousands of small fibres woven together. These fibres stretching and
pressing together is what moves our organs or body. Our muscles weave together like a quilt that
covers our body. They run in all directions and work together to move you.

Regardless of its morphology or type, muscle tissue is composed of specialized cells known as muscle
cells or myocytes (myo- [muscle, Greek = mys]), commonly referred to as muscle fibres (all of these
terms are interchangeable); this is due to their extensive length and appearance.

Myocytes are characterized by protein filaments known as actin and myosin that slide past one
another, producing contractions that move body parts, including internal organs. Interestingly, these
proteins are not exclusive to muscle cells; actin and myosin are commonly found as cytoskeletal
elements in many cell types and are involved in cellular functions relating to the changing of cell
shape (e.g. cell movement, phagocytosis etc.). Myocytes however, are characterized by a particular
abundance of these proteins within their cytoplasm, so much so that they occupy most of their
interior. Furthermore, in the case of myocytes, actin and myosin filaments are generally oriented
along a single axis, thereby eliciting movement in a linear fashion.

At its most basic level, muscle tissue is classified as either striated or non-striated/smooth based on
the presence or absence of ‘striations’ (i.e. stripes/furrows) seen at a microscopic level; these are
formed due to a particular arrangement of actin and myosin filaments within the myocyte (discussed
below).

Muscle tissue has four main properties:

 Excitability: an ability to respond to stimuli

  Contractibility: an ability to contract
 Extensibility: an ability to be stretched without tearing
 Elasticity: an ability to return to its normal shape

Through these properties, the muscular system as a whole performs several important functions.
These include the production of force and movement, support of body stature and position, stability
of joints, production of body heat (to maintain normal body temperature), as well as, provision of form
to the body.

WHAT IS A STIMULUS?
Any change in the surrounding that evokes response in the tissue i.e. contraction in the muscles and
secretion in glands.

TYPES OF STIMULI
1. Mechanical (Cutting, beating)
2. Chemical (Acid, Alkaline)
3. Thermal (Eat, Hot, Cold)
4. Electrical (Galvanic – Positive – Contraction, Faradic – Negative – Relaxation)
5. Nervous (Nerves)

REFLEX ACTION:
Reflex action is a sudden and involuntary response to stimuli. It helps organisms to quickly adapt to
an adverse circumstance that could have the potential to cause bodily harm or even death. Pulling
our hands away immediately after touching a hot or cold object is a classic example of a reflex action.
The word reflex (from Latin reflexus, “reflection”) was introduced into biology by a 19th-century
English neurologist, Marshall Hall, who fashioned the word because he thought of the muscles as
reflecting a stimulus much as a wall reflects a ball thrown against it. By reflex, Hall meant the
automatic response of a muscle or several muscles to a stimulus that excites an afferent nerve. The
term is now used to describe an action that is an inborn central nervous system activity, not involving
consciousness, in which a particular stimulus, by exciting an afferent nerve, produces a stereotyped,
immediate response of muscle or gland.

REFLEX ACTIONS CAN BE CLASSIFIED INTO TWO TYPES.

Inborn or unconditioned reflexes

Simple reflex actions are another term for inborn reflexes. Some of the reflexes are present even
before birth. These are known as inborn or unconditioned reflexes. The taste of milk, for example,
causes salivation even in a newborn baby who has never tasted the food before, the pupils of the eye
constrict even if the eye is illuminated by light at the time of birth, and so on. Inborn reflexes are
passed down through families. Inborn reflexes are triggered by specific stimuli. The reflex arcs of
unconditioned reflexes are always the same.
Conditioned reflexes

Conditioned reflexes are acquired through learning or experience with stimuli that did not initially
elicit a response. Conditioning reflexes involve the formation of new reflex arcs that extend into the
cerebral cortex. Conditioned reflexes are transient in nature and may vanish or reappear. For
example, if an animal smells food that he has not previously tasted, he does not salivate; however, if
the animal sees and smells food several times before eating, saliva is produced. The animal’s nervous
system has been conditioned to produce a reflex as a result of seeing and smelling food. The stimulus
that causes such a reflex is known as a conditioned stimulus.

What are the types of muscles?

Healthcare providers organize muscles by tissue type. There are three types of muscle tissue in your
body:

Skeletal.

Cardiac.

Smooth.

Skeletal muscles

Skeletal muscles are part of our musculoskeletal system. They work with our bones, tendons and
ligaments to support our weight and move you. Tendons attach skeletal muscles to bones all over our
body.

Skeletal muscles are voluntary — they move when we think about moving that part of our body.
Some muscle fibres contract quickly and use short bursts of energy (fast-twitch muscles). Others
move slowly, like your back muscles that help with posture.

Cardiac muscle

Cardiac muscle (myocardium) makes up the middle layers of your heart. It doesn’t exist anywhere
else in your body. Cardiac muscle squeezes and relaxes to pump blood through your cardiovascular
system.

Your heart is an involuntary muscle — it beats on its own without your input.

Smooth muscles

Smooth muscles are involuntary muscles that line the inside of some organs. They do essential jobs
like moving waste through your intestines and helping your lungs expand when you breathe.
Smooth muscles play an important role in many body systems, including the:

Female reproductive system and male reproductive system.

Urinary system.

Respiratory system.

Digestive system.

How many muscles are in the human body?

There are more than 600 muscles located almost everywhere throughout your body.

Your first thought when picturing muscles might be the biceps in your upper arms or the quads in
your thighs, but muscles support almost every part of your body, many of which you’ll never notice.

Conditions and Disorders

What are common injuries or health conditions that affect muscles?

Muscle strains (pulled muscles) are the most common muscle injury. They happen when you overuse
a muscle. The strands of muscle fiber are stretched beyond their limit and tear apart. You’ve seen
this happen if you’ve ever tried to use an old bungee cord to hold something in place.

Many health conditions can affect your muscles, too, including:

Fibromyalgia.

Myopathies.

Myositis and polymyositis.

Infections, including the flu (influenza) and COVID-19.

Amyotrophic later sclerosis (ALS).

Cardiovascular disease.

Muscle symptoms

The most common symptoms of a muscle injury or health condition include:

Muscle pain.

Muscle weakness.
Stiffness.

Muscle spasms (cramps).

Swelling.

Bruising.

Skin discoloration.

Muscle tests

A healthcare provider may use a few different kinds of tests to diagnose muscle conditions or
injuries:

Blood tests.

Electromyography (EMG).

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Ultrasound.

Muscle biopsy.

Function

What are muscles’ function?

Muscles move our body. They perform two types of movements:

Voluntary movements: Voluntary movements are actions you control. You choose to perform an
action and your muscles move your body to make it happen. You use your nervous system to control
these movements. Flicking your thumb to scroll through this article on your phone and sprinting
around a track are both voluntary movements.

Involuntary movements: Involuntary movements happen automatically without you thinking about
them. The muscles in and around your organs move involuntarily to keep your body working
properly. Your heart beating and muscles in your chest and back moving your ribs when you breathe
are examples of involuntary movements.

Your muscles use a combination of voluntary and involuntary movements to work with nearly all
your body’s systems and functions. Different kinds of muscles help with:

Vision.

Hearing.

Breathing, speaking and swallowing.

Digesting food and getting rid of waste (peeing and pooping).

Moving, sitting still and standing up straight.

Pumping blood through your heart and blood vessels.

Giving birth.

Muscles also store and release energy your body uses as part of your metabolism.