Bodies are designed to move! We move when we walk, jog,
or run, activities that transport our bodies from one location to another. In addition to moving
from location to location we also move in other ways. For example, think about grasping some-
thing with your hands and placing it in your mouth, or protecting yourself by kicking at
something with your lower limb. How about throwing something? All of
these activities are forms of movement that occur without moving
from one location to another, yet they are movements nonethe-
less. Like moving about, these other types of movements are
not only essential for survival, but de ne the broad spec-
trum for the majority of human movement. Re ect for
a moment on the wide variety of movements that you
make without moving from place to place. For exam-
ple, think about the variety of intricate movements
required to eat a meal, movements such as grasping,
manipulating, cutting, chewing, and swallowing.
Another example is getting dressed for the day. From
the simple movements of pulling on clothing to the
intricate movements of buttoning shirts and tying
shoelaces, getting dressed involves a wide variety of
movements. And here is something else to ponder —
how about all the movements involved in commu-
nication? ink of the wide array of movements
that you produce as you communicate with
others — whether the communication involves
writing a note on a piece of paper, typing a letter
on the keyboard of a computer, signaling pleasure
and happiness with a smile, or using your voice to
talk to a friend on the telephone.
We could go on and on discussing the wide
variety of movement and its importance, but the bottom
line is all movement results from the combined activity
of individual muscles. e most detailed movements you
make can be broken down into the simple actions of individual muscles moving the
bones of the skeleton at the joints. is chapter introduces the muscular system. On the
pages that follow you will see the structural design of a typical muscle and whole body views of
the muscles of the body. Our approach to the skeletal muscles of the body is based on their em-
bryonic origins. e four chapters that follow this chapter cover each of the developmental
groups of muscles — muscles of the head, muscles of the trunk, muscles of the upper limb, and
muscles of the lower limb. e logic of this approach will be further discussed as we introduce
each chapter.
Find more information
about the muscular system in
REALANATOMY
Muscular System8
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