Muscular System Notes

To allow movement, the bones and joints of the skeletal system must work with the muscular system.

The muscular system provides the force needed to move the bones of the skeletal system.

The human body has about 600 muscles that are responsible for all of the body’s movements… inside and out.

Involuntary muscles are not under your control… you don’t have to think about them.

What do the involuntary muscles control in your body?

blinking, breathing, digestion and heartbeat

Voluntary muscles are muscles that you do control…

What do voluntary muscles allow you to do?

smiling, writing, biking and skateboarding

Three types of muscle tissue

*smooth muscle *cardiac muscle *skeletal muscle *smooth muscle *cardiac muscle

skeletal muscle=> voluntary smooth muscle=> involuntary cardiac muscle=> involuntary

skeletal muscles=> striated (banded)

smooth muscles=> smooth

cardiac muscles=> striated

Skeletal muscles react quickly and tire quickly.

Smooth muscles react slowly and tire slowly.

Cardiac muscle does not tire easily.

Skeletal muscles move bones.

work in pairs… flexors contract to bend a joint while extensors allow a joint to straighten

Where else can you find paired skeletal muscles?

attached to bone by strong connective tissue called tendons

Skeletal muscle moves bones.

Smooth muscle controls movement of internal organs…

cardiac muscle found only in the heart, controls the contractions of the heart muscles that cause our heartbeat

Muscular strength and flexibility may be maintained by stretching (warming up) and regular exercise.

Muscle cells do increase in size so that the thicker the muscle is, the stronger it is.

Cramps occur when the entire muscle contracts and stays contracted.

Pulled or strained muscles occur when the muscle is overworked or overstretched.