9/1/2019 Naming muscles | Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab (BSB 141)
Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab (BSB
141)
Module 8: Muscles of the Head and Trunk
Naming muscles
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9/1/2019 Naming muscles | Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab (BSB 141)
Information
There are a lot of skeletal muscles in the human body, and skeletal
muscles often have long and hard-to-remember names. However, the
muscle names often re ect something about their action, their shape, or
their locations. If you know the logic of how a muscle name was derived,
it often makes it easier to remember that muscle’s name and location.
Figures 8-1 and 8-2 show and Table 8-1 lists the anatomical terms for the
types of movements that can occur around joints. Often these terms are
incorporated into the names of muscles that contribute to producing that
type of movement at one of the body’s joints.
Sometimes the locations of muscles’s origins or insertions are
incorporated into their names. Muscles are generally attached at two
points in the body. One end is pulled by the muscle to create movement.
The end of the muscle that creates movement is called the insertion of
the muscle. The other end of the muscle stays xed and the part of the
muscle that moves is moved towards this xed point. The xed end of a
muscle is called the origin of the muscle. Figure 8-3 illustrates muscle
origins and insertions.
Sometimes, the way muscles interact with other muscles are
incorporated into their names. Table 8-2 summarizes the anatomical
terms associated with these kinds of muscle interactions.
Table 8-3 summarizes many of the ways that a muscle’s characteristics
can be incorporated into its name.
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9/1/2019 Naming muscles | Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab (BSB 141)
Table 8-1. Anatomical terms describing movement around the body’s joints.
Term Type of movement around the joint
Flexion Decreasing the angle between two bones
Dorsi exion Decreasing the angle between the foot and shin
Decreasing the angle between the toes and bottom of
Plantar exion
the foot (pointing toes)
Extension Increasing the angle between two bones
Abduction Moving a body part away from the midline
Adduction Moving a body part towards the midline
Circumduction Movement in a circular or cone-shaped motion
Rotation Turning movement of a bone about its long axis
Rotation of the forearm or foot so that the palm or sole
Supination
is moved to face anteriorly
Rotation of the forearm or foot so that the palm or sole
Pronation
is moved to face posteriorly
Inversion Sole of the foot moved to face medially
Eversion Sole of the foot moved to face laterally
Retraction Movement in the posterior direction
Protraction Movement in the anterior direction.
Elevation Lifting a body part
Depression Returning a body part to pre-elevated position
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9/1/2019 Naming muscles | Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab (BSB 141)
Figure 8-1. Types of movements about and around joints, part 1.
Figure 8-2. Types of movements about and around joints, part 2.
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Figure 8-3. The biceps brachii muscle of the arm has two origins
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9/1/2019 Naming muscles | Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab (BSB 141)
that are xed to the scapula bone and one insertion that is
attached to and moves the radius bone.
Table 8-2. Anatomical terms describing how muscles interact with other
muscles.
Term Type of interaction with other muscles
Also known as the primer move. A muscle that is primarily
Agonist
responsible for the movement.
Synergist A muscle that assists the prime mover muscle.
A muscle that stabilizes the origin of the prime mover (i.e.
Fixator holds it in place) so that the prime mover can act more
e ciently.
A muscle in opposition to the action of a prime mover
Antagonist muscle. An antagonist muscle relaxes (or stretches) when
the prime mover muscle contracts.
……..
LAB 8 EXERCISES 8.1
1. Give the reasons the following muscles were given their
names. For muscles with multi-word names, identify the
meaning of or reason for each component of the
muscle’s name.
Deltoid muscle
External oblique muscle
Platysma muscle
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9/1/2019 Naming muscles | Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab (BSB 141)
Table 8-3. The di erent ways a muscle’s characteristics can be
incorporated into its name
Human muscles
Characteristic Examples
named this way
Rectus –
parallel Rectus abdominis
Transverse – Transversus
Direction of muscle fascicles perpendicular abdominis
relative to muscle midline.
Oblique – at a External oblique
45° angle
Frontal bone Frontalis
Location of or body part
covered by the muscle Tibia Tibialis anterior
Maximus –
largest
Gluteus maximus
Longus –
longest
Palmaris longus
Brevus –
Peroneus longus
Relative size shortest
Teres major
Major – larger
of a pair
Teres minor
Minor – smaller
of a pair
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9/1/2019 Naming muscles | Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab (BSB 141)
Biceps – two
origins Biceps brachii
Number of origins
Triceps – three Triceps brachii
origins
origin at
sternum
origin at
clavicle
Location of origin or insertion Sternocleidomastoid
insertion at
mastoid
process
Deltoid –
triangular
Deltoid
Trapezius –
trapezoidal Trapezius
Shape
Serratus – saw- Serratus anterior
tooth edge
Orbicularis oris
Orbicularis –
circular
Flexion Flexor carpi radialis
Extension Extensor digitorum
Action of muscle
Adduction Adductor longus
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9/1/2019 Naming muscles | Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab (BSB 141)
Rectus abdominis muscle
Frontal epicranius muscle
Zygomaticus major muscle
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