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The human body is made up of over 600 muscles, which are pieces of soft tissue that help us move, breathe, swallow, and survive. There are three types of muscle tissue: skeletal, smooth, and cardiac. Skeletal muscles are attached to bones and allow for voluntary movement. Smooth muscles are located in the walls of internal organs and are responsible for involuntary movements. Cardiac muscles are located in the walls of the heart and are also under involuntary control. These muscles contract and relax to pump blood throughout the body.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of muscles in the human body | More than 600 |
| Muscle composition | Thousands of elastic fibres bundled tightly together |
| Muscle tissue types | Skeletal, smooth, and cardiac |
| Muscle tissue composition | Muscle cells or myocytes (commonly referred to as muscle fibres) |
| Muscle movement | Voluntary and involuntary |
| Muscle functions | Moving the bones of the skeleton, pumping blood, supporting movement, lifting heavy weights, giving birth, producing body heat, and providing form to the body |
| Muscle shapes | Spindle, flat, triangular, and circular |
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What You'll Learn
By location: chest, leg, back, abdominal, pelvic, etc
The human body has over 600 muscles, which are pieces of soft tissue that help us move, breathe, swallow, and stay alive. While healthcare providers typically classify muscles based on the type of tissue they are made of, it is also common to group muscles by their location.
Muscles can be grouped by their location in the body, such as the chest, leg, back, abdominal, and pelvic regions. For example, the biceps are found in the upper arms, while the quads are in the thighs. The deltoid, a large, triangular-shaped muscle that covers the shoulder, gets its name from the Greek letter delta, which is a triangle. The frontalis muscle is located on top of the frontal bone of the skull. The rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis are found in the abdominal region. The gluteal muscles are found in the buttocks and include the gluteus maximus (largest), gluteus medius (medium), and gluteus minimus (smallest).
The chest, or pectoral, muscles include the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor. The pectoralis major is a thick, fan-shaped muscle that makes up a large part of the chest wall. It is responsible for movements such as pushing and throwing. The pectoralis minor is a thin, triangular muscle located beneath the pectoralis major. It helps to stabilize the shoulder joint and is involved in movements such as pulling and twisting.
The leg muscles include the hamstrings, which are a group of three muscles at the back of the thigh, and the quadriceps, or quads, which are a group of four muscles at the front of the thigh. The gastrocnemius and soleus muscles are found in the calf and are responsible for plantar flexion, which is pointing the toes away from the body.
The back muscles include the latissimus dorsi, which is a large, flat muscle that runs down the side of the back and helps with movements such as pulling and climbing. The trapezius muscle is a large, triangular muscle that covers the upper back and helps with shoulder movements. The erector spinae are a group of muscles that run along the spine and help to keep the back straight and stable.
The abdominal muscles include the rectus abdominis, which is a long, flat muscle that runs down the front of the abdomen and is often referred to as the "six-pack" muscle. The transverse abdominis is a deep muscle that runs horizontally across the abdomen and helps to stabilize the core.
The pelvic muscles include the piriformis muscle, which is located near the hip joint and is involved in hip rotation and stabilization. The iliacus and psoas major muscles are also part of the pelvic region and help with hip flexion and stabilization.
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By movement: abductors, flexors, extensors, etc
Muscles can be classified by the type of movement they enable in the body. These include abductors, flexors, extensors, and rotators. For example, the hip abductors are a group of muscles that facilitate the movement of the leg away from the midline of the body. They include the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae. These muscles are crucial for balance and athletic activity and contribute to our ability to stand, walk, and rotate our legs with ease.
The adductor muscles, on the other hand, are located in the inner thigh and support balance, power, speed, and alignment. They also function as flexors or extensors of the hip. When the hip is flexed, the adductor muscles work with the other extensor muscles, and when the hip is closer to full extension, they work with the hip flexors.
The elbow joint, formed by the humerus, radius, and ulna bones, primarily enables two types of movements: flexion and extension. The wrist joint, formed by the distal ends of the radius and ulna and the carpal bones of the hand, also allows for flexion and extension.
Additionally, skeletal muscles, which are under voluntary control, produce movement and prevent excess movement to maintain posture and skeletal stability. They also control the movement of various substances in the body, enabling functions like swallowing, urination, and defecation to be under voluntary control.
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By tissue type: cardiac, smooth, skeletal
The human body has over 600 muscles, which are constantly in use, whether consciously or not. The muscular system consists of all the muscles in the body, which are organs composed of muscle cells, or muscle fibres.
Healthcare providers classify muscles based on the type of tissue they are made of: cardiac, smooth, and skeletal.
Cardiac muscle cells are located in the walls of the heart and are under involuntary control. They contract on their own intrinsic rhythms without any external stimulation to pump blood through the body. Cardiac muscle cells appear striped (striated) under a microscope due to the regular alternation of contractile proteins.
Smooth muscle fibres are located in the walls of hollow visceral organs, such as the liver, pancreas, stomach, and intestines, but not the heart. They are also under involuntary control. Smooth muscle fibres appear spindle-shaped and are responsible for involuntary movements in the internal organs. They form the contractile component of the digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems, as well as the airways and arteries.
Skeletal muscle fibres occur in muscles attached to the skeleton and are under voluntary control. They are striated in appearance, with many nuclei squeezed along the membranes. Skeletal muscles support the weight of the body and enable movement. They also protect internal organs by acting as an external barrier and help prevent skeletal structure damage or deformation by keeping joints stable.
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By shape: spindle, flat, triangular, circular
Muscles are typically grouped by their location in the body or the type of movement they enable. However, one way to classify muscles is by their shape, including spindle, flat, triangular, and circular muscles.
Spindle-shaped muscles are a type of smooth muscle fiber found in the walls of hollow visceral organs, such as the liver, pancreas, and intestines. Smooth muscles are involuntary muscles, meaning they contract without conscious control. They form the contractile component of the digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems, as well as the airways and arteries.
Flat muscles are not explicitly mentioned in the sources, but it can be assumed that some muscles are flatter or thinner than others. For example, the muscles in the forearm are likely thinner than those in the chest or back.
Triangular muscles are named for their shape and include the deltoid muscle. The term "deltoid" is derived from the Greek letter delta, which resembles a triangle.
Circular muscles are those with a round shape. An example of a circular muscle is the orbicularis, which is likely named for its shape.
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By function: voluntary, involuntary
There are over 600 muscles in the human body, and they can be classified in various ways, including by function. One way to group muscles by function is to categorise them as either voluntary or involuntary.
Voluntary muscles are those that move when you consciously decide to move a part of your body. These muscles are under the voluntary control of the somatic nervous system. For example, when you decide to flick your thumb or sprint, your muscles move your body to make it happen. These muscles are involved in muscle contraction, signalling pathways, and more. Skeletal muscles are an example of voluntary muscles. They are attached to the skeleton and are striated in appearance. They also protect internal organs by acting as a shield to external trauma and by supporting the weight of the organs.
Involuntary muscles, on the other hand, contract and move automatically without conscious thought. These muscles are controlled by the autonomic nervous system. The heart, for instance, beats on its own without any external stimulation to keep you alive. Cardiac muscle, which makes up the middle layers of the heart, is an example of an involuntary muscle. It is striated and branched, and it contracts to pump blood through your cardiovascular system. Smooth muscles, which line the inside of some organs, are also involuntary. They are responsible for essential functions such as moving waste through the intestines and helping the lungs expand during breathing.
While skeletal muscles are typically voluntary, they can also have involuntary contractions in certain scenarios. For instance, shivering is an involuntary contraction of skeletal muscles in response to a perceived lower-than-normal body temperature. Additionally, skeletal muscles can work alongside involuntary muscles to facilitate essential functions. For example, while breathing is typically an involuntary action, it can become a voluntary action when you decide to take a deep breath or hold your breath.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscles can be classified in several ways. One common method is grouping them by their location, such as chest, leg, or back muscles. They can also be classified by the type of movement they perform, such as abductors, flexors, or extensors. Healthcare providers often classify muscles based on the type of tissue they're made of. There are three types of muscle tissue: skeletal, smooth, and cardiac.
Skeletal muscles are attached to bones and enable skeletal movements. They are under conscious, or voluntary, control. Skeletal muscles are grouped into opposing pairs, such as the biceps and triceps. They help maintain posture and balance, prevent excess movement of bones and joints, and protect internal organs by acting as a shield against external trauma.
Smooth muscles are located in various internal structures, including the digestive tract, uterus, liver, pancreas, intestines, and blood vessels. They are responsible for involuntary movements in the internal organs, such as the digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems. Cardiac muscles, on the other hand, are specific to the heart. They contract and relax without conscious awareness, pumping blood through the body.
