INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE MUSCLES OF HUMAN BODY

INTERESTING  FACTS ABOUT THE MUSCLES OF HUMAN BODY:

Total number of muscles in human body: There are over 640 different muscles in the human body i.e. approximately 320 pairs of muscles.

·        Longest muscle : Sartorius (tailor muscle).

·        Largest muscle: Gluteus maximus

·        Smallest muscle : Stapedius (a tiny muscle less than 2 millimeters long, located in the middle ear).

·        Strongest muscle: Masseter( on  the ability to generate maximum force)

NOMENCLATURE OF MUSCLES:

Names of the muscles are based on the following characteristics:

1.     Number of origins of muscle: On the basis of the number of proximal attachments  of the muscles. e.g. Biceps, triceps, and quadriceps indicate two, three, and four origins, respectively.

2.     Origin or insertion of muscle: On the basis of proximal and distal attachments of muscle. e.g. sternocleidomastoid  muscle names the sternum (“sterno”) and clavicle (“cleido”) as its origins and the mastoid process of the temporal bone as its insertion.

3.     Location of muscle: On the basis of the location of the muscle on or nearby structure.e.g.  temporalis muscle covers the temporal bone.

4.     Shape of muscle: On the basis of the shape of the muscle e.g.deltoid (triangular), trapezius (trapezoid), serratus (saw‐toothed), and rhomboids (rhomboid).

5.     Direction of muscle fibers of muscle: On the basis of the alignment of the muscle fibres with respect to the midline of the body.e.g. Rectus (parallel), transverse (perpendicular), and oblique (at an angle) .

6.     Size of muscle: On the basis of the size of the muscle. e.g.Maximus (largest), minimus (smallest), longus (longest), and brevis (shortest) are common suffixes added to the  names of muscles.

7.     Action of muscle: On the basis of movement caused by the muscle e.g.  as flexor (flex the arm), extensor (extend the arm), abductor (move the arm laterally away from the torso), and adductor (return the arm to the torso) are added as prefixes to the names of muscles.

SPECIAL NAMES  OF MUSCLES:

•                     Boxer’s muscle -  Serratus anterior.

•                     Casser’s perforated muscle - Coracobrachialis.

•                     Climbing muscle -  Latissimus dorsi (broadest muscle of Back).

•                     Coiter’s muscle -  Corrugator supercilli (wrinkler muscles of eyebrow)

•                     Cowl/ Shawl  muscle - Trapezius.

•                     Laughing /Smiling muscle- Zygomaticus major

•                     Knee Locking muscles -   Popliteus.

•                     Rider’s muscle -   Adductor muscle of thigh.

•                     Tailor’s muscle-  Sartorius.

•                     Thelle’s muscle -  Superficial transverse perinea muscle.

•                     Toynbee’s muscle -  Tensor tympani.

•                     Valsalva’s muscle -  Muscle of Tragus.

•                     Wilson’s muscle - Sphincter urethrae.

•                     Sibson’s muscle -  Scaleneus minimus.

•                     Gavard’s muscle - Oblique fibres in the muscular coat of stomach.