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Overview of the Muscular System

May 30, 2025

Muscular System Overview

Introduction

  • The muscular system is composed of over 600 muscles.
  • This overview focuses on:
    • Main functions of the muscular system
    • Five major properties
    • Five types of muscle movements
    • Three types of muscles

Primary Purpose

  • To provide movement for the body.
  • Movement is facilitated by the nervous system.

Five Major Properties of Muscles

  1. Excitable or Irritable: Capable of receiving and responding to stimulation from nerves.
  2. Contractable: Can contract or shorten after receiving stimulation.
  3. Extensible: Can be stretched without damage by applying force.
  4. Elasticity: Can return to original shape and length after being extended or contracted.
  5. Adaptable: Changes response based on use (hypertrophy or atrophy).

Five Types of Muscle Movements

  1. Adduction: Moving a body part toward the midline of the body.
  2. Abduction: Moving a body part away from the midline.
  3. Flexion: Bending a joint to decrease the angle between two bones or body parts.
  4. Extension: Straightening and extending a joint to increase the angle between two bones or body parts.
  5. Rotation: Moving a body part around an axis.

Types of Muscles

  1. Cardiac Muscle
    • Involuntary control.
    • Forms the walls of the heart.
    • Contracts to circulate blood.
  2. Visceral (Smooth) Muscles
    • Involuntary control.
    • Found in organs or organ systems like the digestive or respiratory systems.
  3. Skeletal Muscle
    • Voluntary control.
    • Attaches to the skeleton to enable movement.

Supportive Structures

  • Tendons: Attach muscle to bone.
  • Fascia: Connects muscles to other muscles.
  • Tendons and fascia are essential for the muscular system's function.

Interaction with the Nervous System

  • The nervous system is crucial for voluntary skeletal muscles.
  • Severed communication leads to paralysis (e.g., quadriplegia).
  • The cardiac muscle operates independently of the nervous system.

Conclusion

  • Basic understanding of the muscular system's components, properties, and functions.
  • Future videos will cover more topics like major muscle groups and common diseases.

Note: For deeper understanding, look for future CTE videos on the muscular system.

Full transcript