Muscles within the body

How many muscles are in the human body?

There are around 600 muscles within the human body.

What roles do muscles carry out in the body?

Muscles carry out varied roles such as movement of bones, cardiac muscles cause the heart to beat, and smooth muscles around the organs help with things like digestion.

Where is the latissimus dorsi and what is its role?

The latissimus dorsi is positioned in the back and is connected to the humerus bone in the arm. It helps to move the shoulder and the upper arm. Important in the sport of climbing, for example.

Where is the deltoid and what is its role?

The deltoid is positioned over the top of the shoulder and helps to raise the arms.

What are the rotator cuffs and what do they do?

The rotator cuffs are a group of muscles that connect to the upper arm at the shoulder. They help to rotate and extend the shoulder, for example during bowling in cricket or baseball.

Where are the pectorals and what do they do?

The pectorals are a group of muscles in the front of the chest that connect to the shoulder. They assist with the movement of the shoulder and the arm bones, for example throwing a ball underhand.

Where are the biceps and what is their function?

The biceps are a large muscle in the front of the upper arm. They connect to the lower arm and help to raise the lower arm causing flexion at the elbow. This is important during the action of lifting.

Where are the triceps and what is their function?

The triceps are a large muscle in the back of the upper arm. They connect to the lower arm and help to straighten the arm causing extension at the elbow.

Where are the abdominals located and what do they do?

The abdominals are a group of muscles located in the lower front of the body between the ribs and the pelvis bones. They help to stabilise the core of the body and support the internal organs in that area. They assist with movements such as twisting at the waist, sitting up and bending to the side.

Where are the hip flexors and what do they do?

The hip flexors are a group of muscles that connect around the pelvic bone. They help to raise/lower and rotate the femur of the upper leg. They are important for running, as well as kicking sports such as taekwondo and football.

Where are the gluteals and what do they do?

The gluteals are the muscles of the buttocks. They are positioned around the outside of the back of the pelvis bones. They help with the movement of the upper leg and knee joint. They are very important in the sports of cycling and rowing, among others.

Where is the hamstring group and what does it do?

The hamstring group is a group of three muscles in the back of the thigh in the upper leg. They enable flexion of the leg at the knee.

Where is the quadriceps group and what does it do?

The quadriceps group is a group of muscles in the front of the thigh in the upper leg. They straighten the leg causing extension at the knee. It is important for moving the leg forward, for example during football.

Where is the gastrocnemius and what does it do?

The gastrocnemius is the muscle found in the calf at the back of the lower leg. It flexes the knee and foot. Essential for the activities of running and jumping.

Where is the tibialis anterior and what does it do?

The tibialis anterior is the muscle found in the shin at the front of the lower leg. It helps to draw the foot up at the ankle during walking or running.

What does the muscles of the human body diagram show?

The muscles of the human body diagram shows some of the main muscles and muscle groups of the body.

What are tendons and what do they do?

Lengths of strong connective tissue called tendons connect muscles to bones. They are tough and inelastic meaning they do not stretch when a muscle is contracting and pulling on a bone.

Do all muscles attach to bones the same way?

There are a few muscles with very long tendons and also a few that are directly attached to the bone.

What might an examiner ask about these muscles?

All of these muscle examples are listed in your specification so you may be asked to label them on a diagram in an exam.