The Musculoskeletal System
The musculoskeletal system provides support to the body and gives humans (and many animal species) the ability to move. The body's bones (the skeletal system), muscles (muscular system), cartilage, tendons, ligaments, joints, and other connective tissue that supports and binds tissues and organs together comprise the musculoskeletal system.
Most importantly, the system provides form, support, stability, and movement to the body. For example, the bones of the skeletal system protect the body's internal organs and support the weight of the body . The skeletal portion of the system serves as the main storage depot for calcium and phosphorus. It also contains critical components of the hematopoietic system (blood cell production). The muscles of the muscular system keep bones in place; they also play a role in movement of the bones by contracting and pulling on the bones, allowing for movements as diverse as standing, walking, running, and grasping items . To allow motion, different bones are connected by joints. Within these joints, bones are connected to other bones and muscle fibers via connective tissue such as tendons and ligaments . Cartilage prevents the bone ends from rubbing directly on each other. Muscles contract (bunch up) to move the bone attached at the joint.
Joints, tendons, and ligaments
To allow motion, different bones are connected by joints. Within these joints, bones are connected to other bones and muscle fibers via connective tissue such as tendons and ligaments.
Human muscular system
The muscles of the muscular system keep bones in place while assisting with movement by contracting and pulling on the bones.
Unfortunately, diseases and disorders that may adversely affect the function and overall effectiveness of the system exist and can be detrimental to the body. These potentially debilitating diseases can be difficult to diagnose due to the close relation of the musculoskeletal system to other internal systems. In humans, the most common musculoskeletal diseases worldwide are caused by malnutrition. Ailments that affect the joints, such as arthritis, are also widespread. These can make movement difficult; in advanced cases, they completely impair mobility. In severe cases in which the joint has suffered extensive damage, joint replacement surgery may be needed.
Human skeletal system
The bones of the skeletal system protect the body's internal organs, support the weight of the body, and serve as the main storage system for calcium and phosphorus.
Progress in the science of prosthesis design has resulted in the development of artificial joints, with joint replacement surgery in the hips and knees being the most common. Replacement joints for shoulders, elbows, and fingers are also available . Even with this progress, there is still room for improvement in the design of prostheses. The state-of-the-art prostheses have limited durability, wearing out quickly, particularly in young or active individuals. Current research is focused on the use of new materials, such as carbon fiber, that may make prostheses more durable.
Prostheses
Improvements in the design of prostheses, artificial replacements for body parts such as joints, elbows, legs, and fingers, have allowed for a wider range of activities in impaired recipients.
By Lana Burgess | Found on MedicalNewsToday
The muscular system consists of various types of muscle that each play a crucial role in the function of the body.Muscles allow a person to move, speak, and chew. They control heartbeat, breathing, and digestion. Other seemingly unrelated functions, including temperature regulation and vision, also rely on the muscular system.
Keep reading to discover much more about the muscular system and how it controls the body.
How the muscular system works
The muscles account for around 40 percent of a person’s weight with the largest muscle in the body being the gluteus maximus in the buttocks.
The muscular system contains more than 600muscles that work together to enable the full functioning of the body.
There are 3 types of muscles in the body:
Skeletal muscle
Skeletal muscles are the only muscles that can be consciously controlled. They are attached to bones, and contracting the muscles causes movement of those bones.
Any action that a person consciously undertakes involves the use of skeletal muscles. Examples of such activities include running, chewing, and writing.
Smooth muscle
Smooth muscle lines the inside of blood vessels and organs, such as the stomach, and is also known as visceral muscle.
It is the weakest type of muscle but has an essential role in moving food along the digestive tract and maintaining blood circulation through the blood vessels.
Smooth muscle acts involuntarily and cannot be consciously controlled.
Cardiac muscle
Located only in the heart, cardiac muscle pumps blood around the body. Cardiac muscle stimulates its own contractions that form our heartbeat. Signals from the nervous system control the rate of contraction. This type of muscle is strong and acts involuntarily.
Eleven main functions of the muscular system
The main functions of the muscular system are as follows:
1. Mobility
The muscular system’s main function is to allow movement. When muscles contract, they contribute to gross and fine movement.
Gross movement refers to large, coordinated motions and includes:
- walking
- running
- swimming
Fine movement involves smaller movements, such as:
- writing
- speaking
- facial expressions
The smaller skeletal muscles are usually responsible for this type of action.
Most muscle movement of the body is under conscious control. However, some movements are reflexive, such as withdrawing a hand from a source of heat.
2. Stability
Muscle tendons stretch over joints and contribute to joint stability. Muscle tendons in the knee joint and the shoulder joint are crucial in stabilization.
The core muscles are those in the abdomen, back, and pelvis, and they also stabilize the body and assist in tasks, such as lifting weights.
3. Posture
Skeletal muscles help keep the body in the correct position when someone is sitting or standing. This is known as posture.
Good posture relies on strong, flexible muscles. Stiff, weak, or tight muscles contribute to poor posture and misalignment of the body.
Long-term, bad posture leads to joint and muscle pain in the shoulders, back, neck, and elsewhere.
4. Circulation
The heart is a muscle that pumps blood throughout the body. The movement of the heart is outside of conscious control, and it contracts automatically when stimulated by electrical signals.
Smooth muscle in the arteries and veins plays a further role in the circulation of blood around the body. These muscles maintain blood pressure and circulation in the event of blood loss or dehydration.
They expand to increase blood flow during times of intense exercise when the body requires more oxygen.
5. Respiration
Breathing involves the use of the diaphragm muscle.
The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle located below the lungs. When the diaphragm contracts, it pushes downward, causing the chest cavity to get bigger. The lungs then fill with air. When the diaphragm muscle relaxes, it pushes air out of the lungs.
When someone wants to breath more deeply, it requires help from other muscles, including those in the abdomen, back, and neck.
6. Digestion
The muscular system allows for movement within the body, for example, during digestion or urination.
Smooth muscles in the gastrointestinal or GI tract control digestion. The GI tract stretches from the mouth to the anus.
Food moves through the digestive system with a wave-like motion called peristalsis. Muscles in the walls of the hollow organs contract and relax to cause this movement, which pushes food through the esophagus into the stomach.
The upper muscle in the stomach relaxes to allow food to enter, while the lower muscles mix food particles with stomach acid and enzymes.
The digested food moves from the stomach to the intestines by peristalsis. From here, more muscles contract to pass the food out of the body as stool.
7. Urination
The urinary system comprises both smooth and skeletal muscles, including those in the:
- bladder
- kidneys
- penis or vagina
- prostate
- ureters
- urethra
The muscles and nerves must work together to hold and release urine from the bladder.
Urinary problems, such as poor bladder control or retention of urine, are caused by damage to the nerves that carry signals to the muscles.
8. Childbirth
Smooth muscles in the uterus expand and contract during childbirth. These movements push the baby through the vagina. Also, the pelvic floor muscles help to guide the baby’s head down the birth canal.
9. Vision
Six skeletal muscles around the eye control its movements. These muscles work quickly and precisely, and allow the eye to:
- maintain a stable image
- scan the surrounding area
- track moving objects
If someone experiences damage to their eye muscles, it can impair their vision.
10. Organ protection
Muscles in the torso protect the internal organs at the front, sides, and back of the body. The bones of the spine and the ribs provide further protection.
Muscles also protect the bones and organs by absorbing shock and reducing friction in the joints.
11. Temperature regulation
Maintaining normal body temperature is an important function of the muscular system. Almost 85 percent of the heat a person generates in their body comes from contracting muscles.
When body heat falls below optimal levels, the skeletal muscles increase their activity to make heat. Shivering is one example of this mechanism. Muscles in the blood vessels also contract to maintain body heat.
Body temperature can be brought back within normal range through the relaxation of smooth muscle in the blood vessels. This action increases blood flow and releases excess heat through the skin.
Five fun facts about the muscular system
- Muscles make up approximately 40 percent of total weight.
- The heart is the hardest-working muscle in the body. It pumps 5 quarts of blood per minute and 2,000 gallons daily.
- The gluteus maximus is the body’s largest muscle. It is in the buttocks and helps humans maintain an upright posture.
- The ear contains the smallest muscles in the body alongside the smallest bones. These muscles hold the inner ear together and are connected to the eardrum.
- A muscle called the masseter in the jaw is the strongest muscle by weight. It allows the teeth to close with a force of up to 55 pounds on the incisors or 200 pounds on the molars.
New Mexico Orthopaedics is a multi-disciplinary orthopedic clinic located in Albuquerque New Mexico. We have multiple physical therapy clinics located throughout the Albuquerque metro area.
New Mexico Orthopaedics offers a full spectrum of services related to orthopedic care and our expertise ranges from acute conditions ó such as sports injuries and fractures ó to prolonged, chronic care diagnoses, including total joint replacement and spinal disorders.
Because our team of highly-trained physicians specialize in various aspects of the musculoskeletal system, our practice has the capacity to treat any orthopedic condition, and offer related support services, such as physical therapy, WorkLink and much more.
If you need orthopedic care in Albuquerque New Mexico contact New Mexico Orthopaedics at 505-724-4300.