Muscles of the human body: of the head, neck, trunk, arms, legs and back (with photos and exercises to strengthen them)

Muscles are soft tissues that have the ability to contract and generate force. They are essential for movement of the body, for supporting posture, joint stability, heat production, and many other physiological processes.

How many muscles has the human body?

There are three main types of muscles in the human body:

skeletal muscle, Also known as voluntary or striated muscle, it is attached to bone and is responsible for purposeful movement of the body. When we think of muscles, we think of skeletal muscles. The human body has more than 600 skeletal muscles. that represent about half of our body weight and help us move. smooth muscle or non-striate of involuntary movement is found in the walls of internal organs, such as the stomach, intestines and blood vessels. This type of muscle is controlled by the autonomic nervous system and contracts slowly, but is capable of sustaining contraction for long periods of time. Its function is to make possible physiological processes such as digestion and blood circulation.The heart or cardiac muscle pumps blood throughout the body. It has a long contraction capacity similar to smooth muscle, but is also capable of rapid contraction like skeletal muscle.

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How do the muscles of the human body work?

Blood vessels and nerves reach each muscle and help control and regulate the function of each muscle. Skeletal muscles are connected to the skeleton, either to bones or to connective tissues such as ligaments. They are always attached to two or more places, so that when it contracts it pulls on the union points to bring them closer; when it relaxes, the attachment points separate.

To activate the muscles, lThe cerebral cortex sends signals to the nerves associated with specific skeletal muscles. When that signal reaches muscle tissue, its cells rearrange, causing a contraction. The behavior of the muscle is possible because It is made up of proteins such as actin and myosin. that slide past each other to generate muscle contraction.

Muscles of the head and neck

They include the facial, masticatory, and neck muscles.

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Muscles of the face or facial

These muscles control facial movements and expression. They are divided into several groups, including the muscles of the forehead, those of the eye, those of the nose, those of the mouth, and those of the jaw.

Forehead muscles: include the frontalis muscle, which controls the movement of the forehead and eyebrows.

Eye muscles: they include the orbicularis muscles, the levator palpebrae, and the recti of the eye, which control eye movement. Here are exercises for the eye muscles. Muscles of the nose: They include the nasal muscle, the nasal septal depressor, and the nasal ala depressor, which control movement of the nose and nostrils.Mouth muscles: They include the orbicularis oris, levator labia superiori, depressor labia inferior, mentalis, and risorius muscles, which control movements of the mouth, lips, and cheeks.Jaw muscles: They include the masseter, temporal, and lateral and medial pterygoid muscles, which control jaw movements and chewing. Due to their importance, these muscles deserve a more precise description:

The temporal muscle is the most powerful of the group and is responsible for closing the jaw and moving it up and back.

the masseter It is a large, strong muscle found on the lateral side of the jaw. It is responsible for closing it and moving it up and down.the pterygoid lateral is a long, thin muscle found on the lateral side of the mandible. It is responsible for moving the jaw down and forward.the pterygoid medialis is a short, broad muscle found in the medial part of the mandible. It is responsible for moving the jaw to one side and the other.

Here are exercises to strengthen the jaw muscles.

neck muscles

These muscles are responsible for moving the head and neck in different directions and are divided into several groups, including the sternocleidomastoid muscles, the scalenes, the neck muscles, and the throat muscles.

There are many muscles in the neck that are important in keeping the head and neck in a proper position and in allowing movements such as rotation, tilting, and flexion. They can be affected by injuries and conditions such as neck pain and whiplash.

Muscles of the sternocleidomastoid: They are a pair of muscles that extend from the base of the skull to the clavicle and sternum. They are responsible for lateral flexion of the head and rotation of the neck to the opposite side.Scalene muscles: They extend from the cervical vertebrae to the ribs. They are responsible for the elevation of the ribs during inspiration and for the lateral inclination of the neck.Neck muscles: They include the erector spinae, splenius capitis, and splenius neck. They are responsible for the extension of the head and neck.Throat muscles: include the stylohyoid, mylohyoid, and geniohyoid muscles. They are responsible for the elevation of the larynx and tongue during swallowing.

Here are exercises to relax muscle tension that causes headaches and exercises for the neck muscles.

trunk muscles

They include the chest muscles, abdominal muscles, and back muscles. Several are important in breathing and movement of the chest and shoulders.

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Intercostal muscles

There are two main types of intercostal muscles: external and internal.

The external ones they are the most superficial and extend from the bottom of one rib to the top of the next rib.The interns they lie below the external intercostal muscles and run from the top of one rib to the bottom of the next rib.

The intercostal muscles are important for breathing, as they contract and relax to allow the ribcage to expand and contract during inspiration and expiration.

Diaphragm

It is a large, dome-shaped muscle found at the base of the rib cage and is the main respiratory muscle. It contracts and relaxes to allow for inspiration and expiration.

pectoral muscles

They are a group of large muscles found in the upper chest that are used for raising and rotating the arms and for stability of the shoulder.

Pectoralis major: It is the largest muscle and is located in the upper part of the thorax. It runs from the clavicle to the top of the arm bone and is responsible for flexion and rotation of the arm towards the body.Pectoralis minor: It is a smaller muscle that lies below the pectoralis major. It extends from the third through fifth ribs to the scapula and helps stabilize it during movement of the arm.

The pectoral muscles are important for a variety of daily activities that involve the movement of the arms, such as lifting heavy objects, pushing, or pulling toward oneself, as well as sporting activities such as weight lifting, swimming, and ball toss. Also can be strengthened and toned with specific exercises, such as bench presses and push-ups, to improve the strength and appearance of the pectoral region.

serratus muscles

They extend from the ribs to the shoulder blade and are used for elevation and rotation of the shoulder blade or scapula during movement of the arm. They are important for shoulder stability and injury prevention during arm movement.

serratus anterior: it is the largest and extends from the top of the ribs to the scapula. This muscle is responsible for raising the scapula and for rotating it upwards during arm movement.Serratus posterior superior: It lies below the trapezius and extends from the vertebral column to the scapula. It is responsible for the downward rotation of the scapula and helps in raising the arm.serratus posterior inferior: lies below the rhomboid muscle and extends from the spine to the scapula. It is responsible for the upward rotation of the scapula and helps in the depression of the arm.

The serrata can be strengthened and toned with specific exercises, such as the overhead press and lateral raises, to improve the strength and appearance of the serrata region.

Abdominal muscles

The abdominal muscles are important for breathing (used for forced exhalation), trunk stability, posture and movement, and protection of the internal organs.

Abdominal rect: It is a long, narrow muscle that runs from the breastbone to the pelvis. This muscle is responsible for trunk flexion and is worked on in exercises such as classic sit-ups.Oblique muscles: there are two oblique muscles, one on each side of the body. They extend from the bottom of the ribs to the pelvis and are used for lateral flexion and trunk rotation.Transverse muscles: They are broad, thin muscles found in the deepest part of the abdominal wall. They help in breathing and in the compression of the abdominal organs.

Here are exercises for the abdominal muscles.

back muscles

The back muscles are a large and complex group of muscles that extend from the base of the skull to the pelvis and are responsible for a variety of body movements and postures, involving movement of the spine and arms, such as lifting objects. heavy, lean forward and backward, and twist the body.

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Trapeze

It is the largest muscle in the back and runs from the base of the skull to the bottom of the spine and to the shoulder bone. It is responsible for elevation, adduction, and rotation of the scapula, as well as extension and flexion of the neck.

latissimus dorsi

Large and broad, it runs from the lower spine to the upper arm bone, the humerus. This muscle is responsible for extension, adduction, and internal rotation of the arm.

Spinal or deep spinal erectors

They extend along the vertebral column from the sacrum to the skull. They are important to maintain the alignment of the back. They are three:

Iliocostalis: extends from the ribs to the pelvis and to the skull. This muscle is responsible for extension and lateralization of the spine.Longissimus: extends from the cervical vertebrae to the pelvis and to the skull. It is responsible for extension and rotation of the spine.Spinalis: extends from the vertebral column to the skull. Participate in the…