The Muscular System

muscul/o

muscle (combining form starting with muscul-)

my/o

muscle (combining form starting with my- and ending in -o)

myos/o

muscle (combining form starting with myos-)

fasci/o

fascia, fibrous band enveloping muscles (combining form)

ten/o

tendon (combining form starting with ten-)

tend/o

tendon (combining form starting with tend- and ending in -o)

tendin/o

tendon (combining form starting with tendin-)

leiomy/o

smooth muscle lining visceral organ walls (combining form)

rhabdomy/o

skeletal or striated muscle attached to bones (combining form)

myocardi/o

heart muscle or myocardium (combining form)

sarc/o

soft, fleshy, or connective tissue (combining form)

kinesi/o

movement, motion (combining form)

fibr/o

fibrous connective tissue (combining form)

-asthenia

weakness or lack of strength (suffix)

-trophy

development or nourishment (suffix)

-plegia

paralysis (suffix)

-paresis

partial paralysis or weakness (suffix)

-cele

hernia, swelling, or abnormal protrusion (suffix)

-clonus

violent action or muscle twitching (suffix)

-kinesia

movement, physical motion (suffix)

Muscle fibers

Long, slender cells that make up muscle tissues

Fascia

Flexible band of connective tissue enveloping, separating, or binding muscles

Myofascial

Pertaining to muscle tissue and fascia

Tendon

Narrow band of nonelastic, dense, fibrous connective tissue attaching muscle to bone

Aponeurosis

Sheet-like fibrous connective tissue serving as a flattened tendon to connect muscles

Skeletal muscle

Striated muscles under voluntary control responsible for locomotion

Smooth muscle

Unstriated muscles under involuntary control within visceral walls

Myocardial muscle

Striated heart muscle under involuntary control

Innervation

Stimulation of a muscle by an impulse transmitted via a motor nerve

Antagonistic muscle pairs

Muscles organized to function in structural opposition to each other

Contraction

Tightening of a muscle, causing it to become shorter and thicker

Relaxation

The process of a muscle returning to its original shape, becoming longer and thinner

Automaticity

The ability of a muscle to contract automatically without conscious control

Contractility

The capability of muscle fibers to shorten and thicken to create movement

Elasticity

The ability of a muscle to return to its original shape after stretching

Excitability

The ability of muscle tissue to respond to a stimulus like a nerve impulse

Extensibility

The capability of a muscle to be stretched or elongated

Origin

The fixed end of a skeletal muscle attachment that does not move during contraction

Insertion

The movable end of a skeletal muscle attachment that moves during contraction

Abduction

Movement of a limb away from the midline of the body

Adduction

Movement of a limb toward the midline of the body

Flexion

Act of decreasing the angle between two bones

Extension

Act of increasing the angle between two bones

Hyperextension

Extreme overextension of a limb or body part beyond its normal physical limit

Elevation

Act of raising or lifting a body part upward

Depression

Act of lowering or dropping a body part downward

Rotation

Circular movement of a body part around its own central axis

Circumduction

Circular movement at the far or distal end of a limb

Supination

Movement that rotates the forearm to turn the palm upward or forward

Pronation

Movement that rotates the forearm to turn the palm downward or backward

Dorsiflexion

Movement that bends the foot upward at the ankle joint

Plantar flexion

Movement that bends the foot downward at the ankle joint

Frontalis

Forehead muscle that raises the eyebrows and wrinkles the forehead

Temporalis

Muscle located on the side of the head used to elevate the jaw during chewing

Masseter

Powerful jaw muscle primarily responsible for closing the mouth during chewing

Sternocleidomastoid

Neck muscle that tilts and rotates the head toward the shoulder

Pectoralis major

Large, fan-shaped chest muscle that adducts and flexes the upper arm

External oblique

Outer layer of the abdominal wall muscles responsible for twisting the trunk

Rectus abdominis

Straight, vertical abdominal muscle row that flexes the vertebral column

Latissimus dorsi

Broad, flat muscle of the lower back that extends and adducts the arm

Trapezius

Large triangular upper back and neck muscle that elevates and shrugs the shoulders

Deltoid

Thick triangular muscular cap forming the contour of the shoulder joint

Biceps brachii

Upper arm muscle with two heads that flexes the elbow joint

Triceps brachii

The major arm muscle that extends the elbow

Gluteus maximus

Largest and outermost muscle of the buttock that extends the thigh

Quadriceps femoris

Four-part thigh muscle group that extends the knee

Hamstring muscles

Back-of-thigh muscle group that flexes the knee

Gastrocnemius

Major calf muscle that flexes the knee and foot

Tibialis anterior

Shin muscle that dorsiflexes and inverts the foot

Fasciitis

Inflammation of a fascia membrane

Fibromyalgia syndrome

Chronic disorder with widespread muscle pain, fatigue, and tender points

Tendonitis

Inflammation of a dense fibrous tendon

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Debilitating disorder with profound, non-restorative fatigue

Adhesion

Band of fibrous tissue holding structures together abnormally

Atrophy

Weakness or wearing away of body tissues

Myalgia

Tenderness or pain within muscle tissue

Myositis

Inflammation of a voluntary muscle

Polymyositis

Simultaneous inflammation of multiple voluntary muscles

Myoparesis

Slight paralysis or chronic weakness

Myorrhexis

Sudden rupture or tearing of a muscle

Sarcopenia

Loss of muscle mass and strength with aging

Atonic

Lacking normal, healthy muscle tone

Dystonia

Abnormal muscle tone causing impaired movement

Hypotonia

Abnormally low skeletal muscle tone

Ataxia

Lack of muscle coordination during movement

Myoclonus

Involuntary muscle jerking or twitching

Singultus

Clinical term for hiccups

Cramp

Painful, involuntary muscle contraction

Spasm

Sudden, involuntary contraction of muscle(s)

Bradykinesia

Extreme slowness of movement

Dyskinesia

Distortion or impairment of voluntary movement

Hyperkinesia

Abnormally increased or excessive motor function

Myasthenia gravis

Autoimmune disease causing progressive muscular weakness

Muscular dystrophy

Genetic disease causing muscle fiber degeneration

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Median nerve compression in the wrist

Ganglion cyst

Fluid-filled swelling on wrist tendons

Epicondylitis

Inflammation of tissues around the elbow

Plantar fasciitis

Inflammation of the sole's connective tissue

Hemiplegia

Total paralysis on one side of the body

Paraplegia

Paralysis of the lower body