Muscles 1

In this video we will discuss the fibre arrangement in muscle and its functional significance. We will
also define principles of muscle actions; define definitions of an agonist, antagonist, synergist and a
fixator.

Skeletal striated muscle makes up voluntary somatic muscles that compose the muscular system
these move or stabilise bones and other structures. A typical muscle has a muscle belly which is the
contractile portion of the muscle, and the tendon that attaches the muscle to the bone. A muscle
also can attach to cartilage, fascia, organs like the eyeball, and to skin, for example, the muscles of
facial expression. The architecture and shape of muscles vary considerably and this impacts how
they function.

The tendons of some muscles (usually flat muscles) form flat sheets for their attachment. Such flat
tendons are called aponeuroses, for example the aponeuroses of the external abdominal oblique
muscle, that you can see in this slide.

Muscle cells are called muscle fibers because they are long and narrow. Muscle fibers are organised
into bundles or fascicles, which are large enough to be seen by the naked eye. In different muscles
fascicles are aligned in different patterns. This influences how the muscles act.

Circular pattern of fascicle arrangement usually surround external body openings, which they close
by contracting. Therefore they act as sphincters, in this diagram you can see two of these muscles,
the orbicularis oculi which surrounds the eye and the orbicularis oris which surrounds the mouth.

In the convergent pattern, the origin of the muscles is broad, and fascicles converge to the insertion.
The pectoralis major provides an example of convergent fascicle arrangement.

In a parallel pattern of fascicle arrangement, the long axes of fascicles are parallel to the long axis of
the muscle. The muscle fibers extend all the way from the origin to the insertion. These muscles
can be either fusiform, as in the case of the biceps brachii muscle or straplike as in the case of the
the Sartorius muscle.

In a pennate pattern, fascicles are short and attach obliquely to the tendon that runs the whole
length of the muscle – like a feather (‘penna’ actually means a feather). Multipennate – implies that
there are many feathers that are present in the muscle, a good example of a multipennate muscle is
the deltoid muscle found over the shoulder; bipennate as in the rectus femoris muscle which is
found in the anterior thigh; and unipennate as in one of the leg muscles that is seen in this diagram.

A fascicle arrangement and a number of fascicles affect the range of motion and the muscle power.
For example, a multipennate muscle shortens very little but tends to be very powerful, while
muscles with parallel pattern produce larger distances of movement but are typically not the most
powerful muscles.
Skeletal muscles function by contracting. They pull and never push. Typically, when a muscle
contracts, it shortens. One of its attachments usually remains fixed while the other attachment is
pulled toward it, this will often result in a movement.

The origin is usually the proximal end of the muscle, which reminds fixed during muscle contraction.

The insertion is usually the distal end of the muscle, which is movable.

This is not always the case as many muscles act in both directions under different circumstances. For
example doing push-ups reverses the origin and insertion for upper limb muscles as the movable
part is the trunk rather than the hand.

When learning about muscle actions, it is important to pay attention to the disposition of the origin
and insertion regarding a given point. To act on a joint the muscle must cross the joint plane at a
particular aspect. For example the brachialis muscle originates on the anterior aspect of the
humerus and inserts onto the ulna. Therefore this muscle crosses the plane of the elbow joint
anteriorly – it will therefore flex the elbow joint. The triceps brachii muscle crosses the elbow joint
from the posterior aspect, it will therefore extend the elbow joint.

There are two main types of phasic or active, muscle contraction, these are: isotonic (when a muscle
changes its length and produces movement) and isometric, when no change in length of muscle and
no movement occurs.

The isotonic contraction occurs in two ways: it can either be concentric or eccentric.

In concentric contraction, movement is produced as a result of the muscle shortening. For example,
the deltoid muscle shortens to raise arm in abduction of the shoulder joint.

In eccentric contraction a muscle lengthens, that is it undergoes a controlled and gradual

lengthening while exerting a diminishing force. For example, a gradual lengthening of deltoid muscle
when lowering arm in adduction. Gravity pulls the upper limb down as muscle resistance gradually
decreases.

Usually to produce a co-ordinated smooth movement, as in walking, one muscle, the main muscle
producing a particular movement undergoes a concentric contraction, while, at the same time, a
second muscle (an antagonist) undergoes coordinated eccentric contraction.

In isometric contraction the main force/tension is increased above tonic levels with no change in
length or movement. The example of this is the deltoid muscle maintaining a steady contraction in
holding arm in abducted position. The muscle resists gravity.

Muscles serve specific functions in moving and positioning the body.

A prime mover (or an agonist) is the main muscle producing a specific movement at a joint. It
contracts concentrically. For example, the biceps brachii or the brachialis muscle is flexing the elbow
joint. The brachialis is the strongest out of the two in elbow flexion.

In some cases gravity can play a role as a prime mover.

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A synergist compliments the action of the agonist. For example the biceps brachii muscle assists the
brachialis in flexing the elbow joint. While brachialis is the prime mover.

An antagonist opposes the action of a prime mover and therefore undergoes eccentric contraction.
For example the triceps brachii muscle undergoes a controlled lengthening while the brachialis and
biceps brachii muscle performs its function of flexion of the elbow joint.

A fixator steadies the proximal parts of a limb through isometric contraction while movements occur
at the distal part. For example, rotator cuff muscles steady the shoulder joint while brachialis and
biceps flex the elbow.

Functional unit of a muscle is a motor unit. Motor unit consists of a motor neuron and all muscle
fibres it controls. Impulse generation by a motor neuron causes simultaneous contraction of all
muscle fibres supplied by the branching terminals of its axons.

The number of muscle fibres in motor unit varies from one to several hundred depending on how
precise the produced movements are. Large motor units are in the trunk or thigh muscles while
small motor units are in hand muscles which are particularly suited for fine motor movements.

The human body enjoys an incredibly wide range of movements from a gentle touch to powerful
jumping, running and lifting heavy objects.

Skeletal muscles are made up of muscle cells called muscle fibers that are arranged into bundles of
fascicles. Muscle fibers are controlled by motor neuron endings at the neuromuscular junction. The
fascicle arrangement differs in different muscles depending on their location and function. A muscle
typically has a belly in the middle and tendons at the attachment sites.

Depending on the muscle location, a specific movement performed. An individual muscle can act as
a prime mover, a synergist or a stabiliser. Therefore, to understand muscle function, it is important
to learn and understand muscle attachments and to be able to visualise muscles in regards to the
joints they act upon.

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