Logan Steele
The penis is a male organ used for reproduction and urination. While the penis itself is not a muscle, it contains muscles that enable movement, penetration, and urination. There are four muscles in the root of the penis: two bulbospongiosus muscles and two ischiocavernosus muscles. The bulbospongiosus muscles contract to empty the urethra of any residual semen and urine, while the ischiocavernosus muscles contract to force blood into the corpora cavernosa, helping to maintain an erection. The tunica albuginea, a fibrous sheet encapsulating the cavernous body, is composed of smooth muscle.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of muscles in the root of the penis | 4 |
| Names of muscles in the root of the penis | Bulbospongiosus (x2), Ischiocavernosus (x2) |
| Functions of the bulbospongiosus muscle | Contracts to empty the spongy urethra of any residual semen and urine, aids in maintaining erection by increasing the pressure in the bulb of the penis |
| Functions of the ischiocavernosus muscle | Surrounds the left and right crura of the penis, contracts to force blood from the cavernous spaces in the crura into the corpora cavernosa, helps maintain erection |
| Muscle that helps with urinary and sexual function | Pubococcygeal (PC) muscle |
| Muscle that helps with erectile support and propels semen through the penis during ejaculation | Smooth muscle |
| Muscle that compresses the deep dorsal veins to prevent drainage of the cavernous spaces and helps promote erection of the penis | Bulbospongiosus |
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What You'll Learn
The penis is not a muscle
The penis is made up of a mix of tissues, glands, and muscle fibres that work together to create an erection. It is a collection of blood vessels, vascular structures, connective tissue, and nerves. The majority of the penis's structure is designed to collect and capture blood, inflate, and become firm enough for penetrative sexual intercourse.
While there are some species of mammals that have bones in their penises, the human penis did not evolve in the same way. The penis does not contain bones, but instead has a series of elastic tissues and fibres that help an erection stay hard and stiff. The corpora cavernosa and corpus spongiosum are spongy tissue segments that hold blood for erectile function, and tunica albuginea is the fibrous tissue that protects them.
The penis is also surrounded by muscles that are essential to its function. The muscles of the perineal area and pelvic floor, as well as the crura and suspensory ligament, are internal structures that assist in urinary and sexual function. Kegel exercises can strengthen the pubococcygeal (PC) muscles, which work as a sling to keep pelvic organs in place and improve bladder and sexual function.
Despite the presence of muscles in and around the penis, there are no exercises or weight training techniques that can create an erection or make the penis bigger.
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Muscles around the penis
The penis is not a muscle, but it does contain some muscle fibres that help with erections. Smooth muscle fibres surround an extensive series of blood vessels within the penis. These muscles are not under voluntary control. During an erection, arteries (which contain smooth muscle in their walls) relax to help move blood into the penis, while the smooth muscles located in the veins relax to collect more blood within the penis. This results in the stiffening of the penis.
The penis has four muscles located in its root: bulbospongiosus and ischiocavernosus (two of each). The bulbospongiosus muscle is associated with the bulb of the penis. It contracts to help empty the urethra of any residual semen and urine. The ischiocavernosus muscle surrounds the left and right crura of the penis. It contracts to force blood from the cavernous spaces in the crura into the corpora cavernosa, helping to maintain an erection.
The anterior fibres of the muscle surround the proximal part of the body of the penis. These fibres can increase the pressure on the erectile tissue in the root of the penis for erections. The bulbospongiosus muscle can compress the deep dorsal veins to prevent drainage of the cavernous spaces and help promote erection of the penis. The root of the penis contains the crura, which is encircled by the ischiocavernosus muscle. The muscle can push blood to the distal parts of the corpora cavernosa and help with erections.
The muscles around the penis are not the only factor in achieving erections. The penis is a complex assortment of glands, specialised tissues, and muscle fibres that work together to create an erection. The penis is also made up of blood vessels, vascular structures, connective tissue, and nerves.
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Muscles inside the penis
While the penis is not a muscle, it does contain a series of muscles around blood vessels that help produce an erection. These muscles work with erectile tissue to enlarge the penis, collect blood, and produce an erection.
The penis is made up of many different parts, including smooth muscle fibres around a series of blood vessels, as well as fibroelastic tissue and some muscles at the base that help provide erectile support and propel semen through the penis during ejaculation.
There are four muscles located in the root of the penis: two bulbospongiosus muscles and two ischiocavernosus muscles. The bulbospongiosus muscles are associated with the bulb of the penis, and they contract to empty the spongy urethra of any residual semen and urine. The anterior fibres also aid in maintaining an erection by increasing the pressure in the bulb of the penis. The ischiocavernosus muscles surround the left and right crura of the penis and contract to force blood from the cavernous spaces in the crura into the corpora cavernosa, which helps maintain an erection.
The corpora cavernosa and corpus spongiosum are the spongy tissue segments that hold blood for erectile function. The tunica albuginea is the fibrous tissue that protects them. The corpora cavernosa contains spongy tissue and arteries that run along the middle of each. When the muscles around the corpora cavernosa relax, blood flows into its open spaces, causing the penis to swell and stiffen.
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Muscles that help with erections
While the penis is not a muscle, it does contain some muscle fibres that help with erections. The penis is a complex assortment of glands, specialised tissues, and muscle fibres that work together to create an erection.
The root of the penis contains the crura, which is encircled by the ischiocavernosus muscle. This muscle can push blood to the distal parts of the corpora cavernosa and help with erections. The ischiocavernosus muscle contracts to force blood from the cavernous spaces in the crura into the corpora cavernosa, which helps maintain an erection. The ischiocavernosus muscle also surrounds the left and right crura of the penis.
The bulbospongiosus muscle is associated with the bulb of the penis. It contracts to help empty the urethra of any residual semen and urine. The anterior fibres of the bulbospongiosus muscle also aid in maintaining an erection by increasing the pressure in the bulb of the penis. The bulbospongiosus muscle can also compress the deep dorsal veins to prevent drainage of the cavernous spaces and help promote an erection.
Smooth muscle fibres around the blood vessels within the penis help to develop an erection properly. During an erection, arteries (which contain smooth muscle in their walls) relax to help move blood into the penis, while the smooth muscles located in the veins relax to collect more blood within the penis. This action partially restricts blood flow moving out of the penis, increasing the blood in the penis, which is what causes an erection.
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Pelvic floor muscles
The pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that form the base of the core muscle group. They stretch from the pubic bone at the front of the body to the tailbone (coccyx) at the back, and from one sitting bone (ischial tuberosity) to the other.
The pelvic floor muscles are comprised of several muscles, including the levator ani, which makes up the bulk of the pelvic floor muscles and consists of three separate muscle components: pubococcygeus, puborectalis, and iliococcygeus. The levator ani wraps around the entirety of the pelvis. The deep pelvic floor muscles consist of pubococcygeus, iliococcygeus, coccygeus, and puborectalis muscles.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the penis is not a muscle, but it does contain a series of muscles around blood vessels that are involved with producing an erection.
The penis contains the ischiocavernosus, bulbospongiosus, and smooth muscle tissue.
The muscles in the penis work together to make an erection hard and steady for sexual penetration. They also help to propel semen through the penis during ejaculation.
The root of the penis is the most proximal, fixed part of the penis. It is located in the superficial perineal pouch of the pelvic floor and is not visible externally. The root contains three erectile tissues (two crura and the bulb of the penis) and two muscles (ischiocavernosus and bulbospongiosus).
The body of the penis is the free part of the penis, located between the root and glans. It is composed of three cylinders of erectile tissue: two corpora cavernosa and the corpus spongiosum.
