NASM Ch. 5

Human movement system (HMS)

The collective components and structure that work together to move the body: muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems

Kinetic chain

A concept that describes the human body as a chain of interdependent links that work together to perform movement

Nervous system

A network of specialized cells called neurons that transmits and coordinate signals, providing a communication network within the human body.

Neuron

Specialized cell that is the functional unit of the nervous system

Nucleus

Cellular structure or organelle that contains the majority of the cell’s genetic material in the form of chromosomes

Organelles

Tiny cellular structures that perform specific functions within a cell. Examples include nuclei, mitochondria, lysosomes, ribosomes, and the endoplasmic reticulum

Mitochondria

Powerhouse of the cells - The part of the cell that use nutrients to create energy for the cell

Effector sites

A part of the body, such as a muscle or organ, that receives a signal from a neuron to produce a physiological response

Electrolytes

Minerals that have an electrical charge to help transmit nerve impulses throughout the body, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium

Central nervous system (CNS)

A division of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Nerves that connect the rest of the body to the central nervous system

Afferent Pathway

Sensory pathway that relays information to the central nervous system

Efferent pathway

A motor pathway that relays information from the central nervous system to the rest of the body

Interneurons

Neurons located within the spinal cord and brain that transmit impulses between afferent and efferent neurons

Mechanoreceptors

Specialized structures that respond to mechanical forces (touch and pressure) within tissues and then transmit signals through sensory nerves

Somatic nervous system

Nerves that serve the outer areas of the body and skeletal muscle and are largely responsible for the voluntary control movement

Autonomic nervous system

A division of the peripheral nervous system that supplies neural input to organs that run the involuntary processes of the body (e.g circulating blood, digesting food, producing hormones)

Sympathetic nervous system

Subdivisions of the autonomic nervous system that works to increase neural activity and put the body in a heightened state

Parasympathetic nervous system

Subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that works to decrease neural activity and put the body in a more relaxed state

Sensory function

Ability of the nervous system to sense changes in either the internal or external environment

Proprioception

The body’s ability to naturally sense its general orientation and relative position of its parts

Integrative function

The ability of the nervous system to analyze and interpret the sensory information to allow for proper decision-making, which produces an appropriate response

Motor function

The neuromuscular (or nervous and muscular systems) response to the integrated sensory information

Muscle spindles

Sensory receptors sensitive to change in length of the muscle and the rate of that change

Stretch reflex

Neurological signal from the muscle spindle that cause a muscle to contract to prevent excessive lengthening