Myology -I

Learning outcomes
• Describe the development and biomechanical properties of skeletal
muscle
• Relate the skeletal muscle organization with resultant force and
range of motion
• Describe motor and sensory innervation of skeletal
• Classify muscles according to shape, span, specific action, function
in locomotion and composition
 Background check
• Muscles are passive part of the locomotor system – True / False
• Skeletal muscles are voluntarily controlled – True / False
• Smooth and cardiac muscles are involuntarily controlled – True /
False
• Among the three muscle types, only smooth muscles lack
striations – True / False
• The terms ‘Muscle fiber’ and ‘muscle cell’ have the same meaning
– True / False
• Smooth muscles are associated with the viscera – True / False
• Skeletal muscles are associated with the bones – True / False
 What is the origin of muscle tissue?

Mesenchymal stem cells

Premyoblasts

Uninucleated contractile myoblasts

Uninucleated contractile myoblasts Multinucleated

muscle cell
Uninucleated contractile myoblasts

Undifferentiated satellite cells

Regeneration of damaged muscle tissue

What factors effect post-natal muscle
development?
Exercise

Increased blood supply

Muscle fiber hyperplasia

Interruption in nerve supply/ lack of exercise

Muscle atrophy
 What are the biomechanical
properties of muscle tissue?
Excitability
Contractility
Extensibility
Elasticity

• Muscle tone – Continous state of minimal contraction (Agonist vs

Antagonist)
• Isometric contraction – Increased tone without visible shortening or
lengthening of fibers
• Isotonic contraction – Visible shortening of fibers
LO: Describe the development and biomechanical properties of skeletal
muscle
How is muscle tissue organized?
Endomysium + Perimysium + Epimysium  Tendon / Aponeurosis
Which part of the muscle generates force and which
parts transmits it to the skeleton?

Origin /Insertion – Transmits forces

Direct - Fleshy
Indirect
Tendon – Sharpe’s fibers
Aponeurosis – in expansive flat muscles

Belly – Generates forces

How does the fiber arrangement in the muscle belly
effect ROM and muscle force?
Belly – Generates forces
Parallel fiber arrangement – examples?
Greater ROM
Weaker force of contraction

Pennate fiber arrangement- examples?

Stronger force of contraction
Less shortening – Why?
Unipennate
Bipennate
Multipennate

Sphincter arrangement
Contraction closes a natural opening – example?
 The angle of
pennation increases
as tension
progressively
increases in the
muscle fibers.

Relaxed After tension

develops
6-12
Basic Biomechanics, 7th edition
By Susan J. Hall, Ph.D.
 Identify the muscle type, from L to R

Does pennation increase the number of muscle fibers in a muscle

or decreases them?

Basic Biomechanics, 7th edition

By Susan6-13
J. Hall, Ph.D.
What factors effect the force generated by a muscle?

Number of muscle fibers

Thickness of muscle fibers

Muscle force is a function of the functional cross-sectional area

(sum of cross-sectional area of all muscle fibers)
LO: Relate the skeletal muscle organization with resultant force
and range of motion
Motor and Sensory Innervation of Skeletal Muscles

What is a motor unit?

• Single motor neuron

and all fibers it
innervates
Motor Unit
• Considered the
functional unit of the
neuromuscular system
Motor Unit • motor neurons

Basic Biomechanics, 7th edition

By Susan J. Hall, Ph.D.
Motor and Sensory Innervation of Skeletal Muscles
Sensory
• Muscle spindles – receptors for muscle tone and muscle coordination
• Golgi tendon organs – receptors for tension at musculotendinous
junction
LO: Describe motor and sensory innervation of skeletal
CLASSIFICATION OF MUSCLES

I -Shape

Sheet like (planus)

Spindle (fusiform)
II-Span

Uniarticular
Biarticular
Polyarticular
III-Specific action

Flexor/Extensor
Adductor/Abductor
Supinator/Pronator
Sphincter/Dilator
Levator/Depressor
Rotator
CLASSIFICATION

IV-Function in Locomotion

Prime Movers / Agonists

Synergist
Antagonists
V-Composition

White fibers: More myofibrils  more force

Less myoglobin  short duration of contraction

Red Fibers: Less myofibrils  weak force

More myoglobin  long duration of contraction
VARIOUS NAMING CONVENTIONS FOR MUSCLES

Action - adductor
Shape – serratus ventralis/dorsalis
Size – gluteus maximus
Regional Location - intercostal
Direction of fibers – rectus femoris
Number of heads – biceps brachii
Number of bellies - digastricus
Attachment sites – coracobrachialis
LO: Classify muscles according to shape, span, specific action,
function in locomotion and composition
• Muscle force is function of ____________ &
____________.
• Write a note on the characteristics of white
and red muscle fibers.
• How is skeletal muscle tissue organized from
muscle fiber to the whole muscle.
• How are muscles classified according to
– X, Y, Z
 Key words
Active part of locomotor system, skeletal, cardiac, & smooth muscles,
fascia, aponeurosis, tendons, synovial structures, excitability,
contractility, extensibility, elasticity, muscle fiber/cell, smooth muscle
fiber, striated muscle, origin /insertion, belly, endomysium,
endomysium—sarcolemma, perimysium, epimysium, epitenon,
pennate muscles, unipennate muscles, bipennate muscles,
multipennate muscles, fascia, bursa, tendon sheath, motor unit,
spindles/golgi tendons endings/, free nerve endings, spindle-shaped
(fusiform), sheet like (planus), prime movers / agonists, synergist,
antagonists, uniarticular, biarticular, polyarticular, flexor/extensor,
adductor/abductor, supinator/pronator, sphincter/dilator,
levator/depresssor, rotator, somatic muscles, visceral muscles, white
fibers, red fibers,
The End