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Muscles are a type of body tissue that contracts when stimulated to produce movement. Humans have over 600 muscles that help us do everything from breathing and blinking to running marathons and giving birth. Muscles can be skeletal, smooth, or cardiac. Skeletal muscles are attached to bones and allow movement, smooth muscles are involuntary muscles that line the inside of some organs, and cardiac muscles make up the middle layers of the heart. Muscles are made up of thousands of small fibres woven together, and they can be strengthened through exercise. In addition to the biological meaning, the word muscle can also refer to power or authority, as in we have the muscle to get the job done.
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What You'll Learn
Muscle definition: a body tissue that contracts to produce movement
Muscles are a type of soft body tissue that contracts when stimulated to produce movement. There are more than 600 muscles in the human body, and they are made up of thousands of small fibres woven together. These fibres stretch and press together to move the organs and body. Muscles help people and animals do things like breathing, walking, blinking, and eating.
There are three types of muscle tissue in vertebrates: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle. Skeletal muscle is a highly oxygen-consuming tissue that is responsible for body movements. Cardiac muscle makes up the middle layers of the heart and does not exist anywhere else in the body. Smooth muscles are involuntary muscles that line the inside of some organs and help with essential functions such as moving waste through the intestines and helping the lungs expand when breathing.
Muscles are also associated with strength and power. They can refer to physical force, as in the ability to lift something heavy, or to exert influence or authority.
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Types of muscles: skeletal, smooth, and cardiac
Muscles are pieces of soft body tissue that help humans move, breathe, swallow, and stay alive. There are more than 600 muscles in the human body, and they are made of thousands of small fibres woven together. These fibres stretch and press together to move our organs and body.
There are three types of muscle tissue: skeletal, smooth, and cardiac.
Skeletal muscles are the most common type of muscle in the human body. They are attached to the skeleton and are under our voluntary control. They are also referred to as striated or striped muscles due to their appearance. They are made up of bundles of elongated cells (muscle fibres), each containing many nuclei.
Smooth muscles provide the contractile force for our internal organs and are controlled by the autonomic nervous system. They are located in the walls of hollow visceral organs like the liver, pancreas, and intestines. Smooth muscle cells are spindle-shaped and each contains a single nucleus.
Cardiac muscles make up the muscle of the heart and are the only muscles with cardiac tissue. They are also striated and consist of a meshwork of striated cells. They are under involuntary control.
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Muscle disorders: myopathy, weakness, pain, and paralysis
Muscle is a body tissue made up of long cells that contract when stimulated, producing movement. Muscles are attached at either end to a fixed point, usually bones, and move or stop the movement of a body part.
Muscle disorders, or myopathies, refer to diseases that attack muscle fibres, causing muscle weakness and, in some cases, pain. Myopathies are a group of disorders that primarily affect the skeletal muscle structure, metabolism, or channel function. They can develop later in life due to other medical disorders, infections, medication, or electrolyte imbalances. They can also be inherited, passed down from parent to child, or caused by gene mutations.
There are several types of myopathies, including mitochondrial myopathy, metabolic myopathies, muscular dystrophies, and autoimmune/inflammatory myopathies. Mitochondrial myopathy is caused by a defect in the mitochondria, which produce energy in cells. Metabolic myopathies are caused by defects in genes that code for enzymes needed for normal muscle function and movement. Muscular dystrophies are characterised by progressive degeneration of muscle tissue due to abnormal or insufficient structural support proteins. Autoimmune/inflammatory myopathies are diseases in which the body attacks itself, causing problems with muscle function.
Myopathies usually present with muscle weakness, most commonly in the upper arms, shoulders, and thighs, interfering with daily life activities. Muscle pain, cramps, stiffness, and spasms are also common symptoms. Some myopathies are associated with rhabdomyolysis, a muscle fibre condition. Treatment options are available to manage the symptoms, and early diagnosis is crucial for effective management of the disease.
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Muscle groups: triangular, circular, and sphincters
Muscles are a type of body tissue made up of long cells that contract when stimulated, producing movement. They are essentially masses of muscle tissue attached at either end to a fixed point, often bones, and their contraction moves or stops the movement of a body part.
There are more than 600 muscles in the human body, accounting for about 40% of a person's weight. The shape of a muscle often informs its name. For example, triangular muscles are named 'deltoid', while circular muscles are called 'orbicularis'.
Triangular muscles, or deltoids, are found in the shoulders and upper arms. They are responsible for movements such as abduction, adduction, flexion, and extension of the arm. These muscles are often targeted in exercises such as weightlifting or push-ups, as they are involved in a wide range of functional movements.
Circular muscles, or orbicularis, are found in various parts of the body, including the eyes, mouth, and digestive tract. One example is the orbicularis oculi, which surrounds the eye and is responsible for blinking and closing the eyes tightly, such as when we sleep or protect our eyes from danger. Another example is the orbicularis oris, which surrounds the mouth and is essential for actions like pursing the lips, whistling, and speaking certain sounds.
Sphincters are circular muscles that open and close various passages in the body, such as the anal sphincter and the pyloric sphincter, which controls the release of stomach contents into the small intestine. They act as valves, contracting and relaxing to control the flow of liquids, solids, or gases through these passages.
Together, these muscle groups play a crucial role in maintaining body functions, from mobility and expression to digestion and waste elimination.
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Building muscle: exercises to build and strengthen muscle
Muscles are a type of body tissue made up of thousands of small fibres woven together. These fibres stretch and press together, allowing us to move our body and our organs. We have more than 600 muscles in our body, and they are constantly working to keep us alive.
To build and strengthen muscles, one must engage in strength exercises, which are activities that make muscles work harder than usual. This increases muscle strength, size, power and endurance. Strength training requires some form of resistance for the muscles to work against, such as free weights, resistance machines or resistance bands.
There are many exercises that can help build muscle strength. For example, squats work the buttocks, hips and thighs. To do a basic squat, stand with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, with your back facing a chair. Planking increases core and lower back strength. To do a plank, lie on your stomach, place your forearms on the floor with your elbows and shoulders aligned, flex your feet and use your toes to push your legs off the floor. Tighten your abdominal muscles and lift your body so it hovers just above the floor. Hold the position for as long as you can.
It is important to rest for a full day between muscle-strengthening sessions, and to stretch after each session. It is also important to warm up before a session, as cold muscles are more susceptible to injury.
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