Skeletal Muscle Actions

The muscular system consists of skeletal muscles and their associated connective
tissues. It does not include cardiac muscle or smooth muscle, which are associated with
the systems in which they are found, such as the cardiovascular, digestive, urinary, or
other organ systems.

A skeletal muscle may attach a bone to another bone (often across a joint) or a bone to
another structure, such as skin. When the muscle contracts, one of the structures usually
remains stationary, while the other moves. The following terms refer to this characteristic
of muscle contraction.

• The origin of the muscle is the muscle end that attaches to the stationary structure,
usually bone.
• The insertion of the muscle is the muscle end that attaches to the moving
structure.
• The belly of the muscle is that part of the muscle between the origin and insertion.

Several muscles usually influence a particular body movement:

• The prime mover is the muscle that is most responsible for the movement.
• Synergists are other muscles that assist the prime mover. Synergists may stabilize
nearby bones or refine the movement of the prime mover.
• Antagonists are muscles that cause a movement opposite to that of the prime
mover. If the prime mover raises an arm, then its antagonist pulls the arm down.
An antagonist is generally attached to the opposite side of the joint to which the
prime mover is attached.

Names of Skeletal Muscles

Skeletal muscles are often named after the following characteristics:

• Number of origins. Biceps, triceps, and quadriceps indicate two, three, and four
origins, respectively.
• Location of origin or insertion. The sternocleidomastoid names the sternum
(“sterno”) and clavicle (“cleido”) as its origins and the mastoid process of the
temporal bone as its insertion.
• Location. In addition to its origin or insertion, a muscle name may indicate a
nearby bone or body region. For example, the temporalis muscle covers the
temporal bone.
• Shape. The deltoid (triangular), trapezius (trapezoid), serratus (sawtoothed) and
rhomboideus major (rhomboid) muscles have names that describe their shapes.
• Direction of muscle fibers. The terms rectus (parallel), transverse (perpendicular),
and oblique (at an angle) in muscle names refer to the direction of the muscle
fibers with respect to the midline of the body.
 • Size. Maximus (largest), minimus (smallest), longus (longest), and brevis
(shortest) are common suffixes added to muscle names.
• Action. Terms such as flexor, extensor, abductor, and adductor are added as
prefixes to muscle names to indicate the kind of movement generated by the
muscle.

Muscle Size and Fascicles

The size of a muscle influences its capabilities. When a muscle fiber (cell) contracts, it
can shorten to nearly half its relaxed length. The longer a muscle fiber, then the greater
range of movement it can generate. In contrast, an increase in the number of muscle
fibers increases the strength of the contraction.

Muscle fibers are grouped into fascicles, which are, in turn, grouped together to form a
muscle. The size (length) and number of fascicles determine the strength and range of
movement of a muscle. Common fascicle patterns follow:

• Parallel fascicles have their long axes parallel to each other. Parallel fascicles can
be flat, or straplike, or they can bulge at their bellies and be spindle shaped, or
fusiform.
• Circular fascicles are arranged in concentric rings. Muscles with this pattern form
sphincter muscles that control the opening and closing of orifices.
• Pennate fascicles are short and attach obliquely to a long tendon that extends
across the entire muscle. In a unipennate pattern, the muscle resembles one half of
a feather (the tendon is represented by the shaft of the feather). A bipennate
pattern resembles a complete feather, with fascicles attached to both sides of a
central tendon. A multipennate pattern of fascicles resembles three or more
feathers attached at their bases.

Major Skeletal Muscles

The major skeletal muscles are described in following tables and figures.
 TABLE 1 Muscles of the Head and Neck
Muscle Origin/Insertion Action
Epicranius:frontalis O: galea aponeurotica I: skin raises eyebrows; surprised
around eyes
Epicranius:occiptalis O: occipital bone I : galea pulls scalp back; surprised
aponeurotica
Orbicularis oculi O: maxillary & frontal bones I: closes eyelids; blinking
eyelids
Orbicularis oris O: muscle fibers around mouth I: closes lips; kissing
skin around mouth
Buccinator O: maxilla & mandible I: compresses cheek;
orbicularis oris whistling
Platysma O: fascia in upper chest I: mandible lowers mandible; opens
& corner of mouth mouth
Mentalis O: mandible I: skin of chin protrudes lower lip;
pouting
Risorius O: fascia on masseter muscle I: lateral movement of lips;
skin at corner of mouth grimacing
Zygomaticus O: zygomatic bone I: skin around raises edges of mouth;
mouth smiling
Levator labi superioris O: infroarbital margin of maxilla I: raises upper lip; as in
skin of upper lip disgust
Depressor labi O: mandible I: skin of lower lip lowers lower lip
inferioris
Temporalis O: parietal bone I: mandible raises mandible; closes
mouth
Masseter O: zygomatic arch I: mandible raises mandible; closes
mouth
Medial pterygoid O: sphenoid & maxilla I: mandible raises mandible; side-to-
side mouth motion
Lateral pterygoid O: sphenoid & maxilla I: mandible raises mandible; side-to
side mouth motion
Sternocleidomastoid O: ternum & clavicle I: temporal flexes & rotates head
bone
Splenius capitis O: cervical & thoracic vertebrae I: rotates, bends, or extends
Muscle Origin/Insertion Action
temporal bone head
Semispinalis capitis O: cervical & thoracic vertebrae I: rotates or extends head
occipital bone
Longissimus O: cervical & thoracic vertebrae I: rotates, bends, or extends
temporal bone head
Omohyoid O: scapula I: hyoid bone depresses hyoid bone
Sternohyoid O: sternum & clavicle I: hyoid depresses hyoid bone
bone

TABLE 2 Muscles of the Neck, Shoulder, Thorax, and Abdominal Wall

Muscle Origin/Insertion Action
Semispinalis capitis O: cervical & thoracic vertebrae extends & rotates head
I: occipital bone
Splenius capitis O: c & t vertebrae I : occipital & extends and rotates
temporal bone head
Deltoid O: clavicle & scapula I: humerus abducts, flexes,
extends, & rotates arm
Pectoralis major O: clavicle, sternum, ribs I: flexes, adducts, &
humerus rotates arm
Infraspinatus O: scapula I: humerus rotates arm
Teres major O: scapula I: humerus extends, rotates arm
Latissimus dorsi O: vertebrae, ribs, ilium I : extends, adducts,
humerus rotates arm
Levator scapulae O: cervical vertebrae I: scapula elevates scapula
Pectoralis minor O: ribs I: scapula stabilizes scapula,
elevates ribs
Serratus anterior O: ribs I: scapula stabilizes scapula,
elevates ribs
Trapezius O: occipital bone & c & t elevates, adducts, &
vertebrae; I : scapula & clavicle rotates scapula
Rhomboideous O: c & t vertebrae I: scapula adducts & rotates
major/Rhomboideus minor scapula
Muscle Origin/Insertion Action
Rectus abdominis O: pubic crest & symphysis I: flexes vertebral
xiphoid process & ribs column, compresses
abdomen
External oblique O: ribs I : linea alba, ilium compresses abdomen,
rotates trunk
Transverse abdominis O: ilium, ribs I: linea alba, compresses abdomen
xiphoid process
External intercostals O: lower border of rib above I: elevates ribs, aids
upper border of rib below inspiration
Internal intercostals O: upper border of rib below I: pulls ribs together, aids
lower border of rib above expiration
Diaphragm O: lower ribs, sternum I: central aids inspiration
tendon
Spinalis O: lumbar & thoracic vertebrae I: extends vertebral
thoracic & cervical vertebrae column
Longissimus O: lumbar & cervical vertebrae extends vertebral
I : temporal bone, vertebrae column
Iliocostalis O: ilium, ribs I: ribs extends vertebral
column

TABLE 3 Muscles of the Arm and Forearm

Muscle Origin/Insertion Action
Coracobrachiolis O: scapula I: humerus flexes & adducts arm
Biceps brachii O: scapula, glenoid cavity I: flexes arm, flexes forearm, &
radius rotates hand
Brachialis O: humerus I: ulna flexes forearm
Brachioradialis O: humerus I: radius flexes forearm
Triceps brachii O: humerus I: ulna extends forearm
Anconeus O: humerus I: ulna extends forearm
Pronator teres O: humerus, ulna I: radius rotatesforearm
Pronator quadratus O: ulna I: radius rotates forearm
Supinator O: ulna I: radius rotates forearm
Muscle Origin/Insertion Action
Flexor carpi radialis O: humerus I : metacarpals flexes & abducts wrist
Flexor carpi ulnaris O : humerus, ulna I : carpals, flexes & abducts wrist
metacarpals
Flexor digitorum O: humerus, ulna, radius I: flexes finger 2–5
superficialis phalanges
Flexor digitorum O: ulna I: phalanges flexes distal fingers 2–5
profundus
Palmaris longus O: humerus I : flexor flexes wrist
retinaculum
Extensor carpi radialis O : humerus I : second extends & abducts wrist
longus metacarpal
Extensor carpi ulnaris O: humerus, ulna I: fifth extends & adducts wrist
metacarpal
Extensor digitorum O: humerus I: distal phalanges extends fingers 2–5
Extensor pollicis brevis O: radius I: phalanx of thumb extends
thumb
Extensor pollicis longus O: radius I: phalanx of thumb extends thumb
Extensor indicis O: ulna I: index finger extends index finger
Abductor pollicis O: radius & thumb I: first abducts & extends thumb
longus metacarpal

TABLE 4 Muscles of the Thigh and Leg

Muscle Origin/Insertion
Gluteus maximus O: ilium, sacrum, coccyx I:
femur
Gluteus medius O: ilium I: femur
Pectineus O: pubis I: femur
Adductor longus O: pubis I: femur
Adductor brevis O: pubis I: femur
Adductor magnus O: pubis, ischium I: femur
Action
extends & rotates thigh
abducts & rotates thigh
adducts & flexes thigh
adducts, flexes, & rotates
thigh
adducts, flexes, & rotates
thigh
adducts, flexes, & rotates
Muscle Origin/Insertion Action
thigh
Gracilis O: pubis I: tibia adducts thigh & flexes leg
Sartorius O: ilium I: tibia flexes & rotates thigh,
flexes leg
Quadriceps femoris: rectus O: ilium, femur I: patella, extends leg, flexes thigh
femoris tibia
Quadriceps femoris: vastus O: ilium, femur I: patella, extends leg
lateralis tibia
Quadriceps femoris: vastus O: ilium, femur I: patella, extends leg
medialis tibia
Quadriceps femoris: vastus O: ilium, femur I: patella, extends leg
intermedius tibia
Biceps femoris (hamstrings) O: ischium, femur I: fibula flexes & rotates leg,
extends thigh
Semitendinosus (hamstrings) O: ischium I: tibia flexes & rotates leg,
extends thigh
Semimembranosus O: ischium I: tibia flexes & rotates leg,
extends thigh
Tibialis anterior O: tibia I: 1st metatarsal & dorsiflexes & inverts foot
cuneiform
Extensor digitorum longus O: tibia, fibula I: phalanges dorsiflexes & everts foot,
of toes extends toes
Gastrocnemius O: femur I: calcanues plantar flexes foot, flexes
leg
Soleus O: tibia, fibula I: calcaneus plantar flexes foot
Figure 1The major skeletal muscles—anterior superficial view.
Figure 2The major skeletal muscles—posterior superficial view.
Figure 3The major skeletal muscles—lateral view.
Figure 4The major skeletal muscles–anterior superficial view, anterior deep view,
posterior superficial view, and posterior deep view.
Figure 5The major skeletal muscles—anterior superficial view, anterior deep view,
posterior superficial view, and posterior deep view.
Figure 6The major skeletal muscles—anterior superficial view, anterior deep view,
posterior superficial view, and posterior deep view.