Muscles and Composition

Muscle are fibrous tissue with the ability to stretch and contract according to the demands of the body’s movement. The muscular system covers, shapes and supports the skeletal tissue.

The human body has over 630 muscles which are responsible for approximately 40 percent of the body’s weight.

Out of the 630 muscles, 30 are facial muscles.

There are 3 types of muscle tissue:

▶ Skeletal or voluntary muscles contracts with conscious thought.

▶ Smooth or involuntary muscles are not under conscious control.

▶ Cardiac muscles are specific to the heart function and also not under conscious control.

Estheticians work with the voluntary muscles (skeletal). These are the muscles attached to the bones and are controlled by thought processes.

SKELETAL OR VOLUNTARY MUSCLES

A skeletal or voluntary muscles has three parts:

  1. Origin: The more fixed part of the muscle closest to the skeleton, which flexes but remains stationary (does not move).

  2. Belly: The middle part of the muscle

  3. Insertion: The part of the muscle that is the movable attachment and farthest from the skeleton.

❗Pressure in massage is from insertion to origin.

MYOLOGY (NYS Additional Notes)

Myology is the study of the nature, structure, function and diseases of the muscle.