There are three main muscle types. They are made of muscle cells, or fibers that are packed tightly together as bundles. The nervous system coordinates by sending signal to the bundles that helps in contraction of the fibers which in turn generates force and motion. In in respect to that our body moves.
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Muscle Types
- Skeletal Muscle: It is attached via tendons to our bones. These make up about 30-40% of the body’s weight and are involved in most of its motion. Skeletal muscles are connected to the somatic nervous system, thus have complete control over their movements.
- Contains 2types of muscle fiber:
- Slow-twitch: Endurance cells, that react and uses energy slowly to work for longer periods.
2. Fast-twitch: Reacts instantly and uses energy quickly
- Contains 2types of muscle fiber:
- Cardiac Muscle: It is found only in heart area.
- Smooth Muscle: It is found around the blood vessels and certain organs, like intestine and uterus.
The cardiac and smooth muscles are managed totally by autonomic nervous system. As a result, the heart thumps blood and supply the body with blood and oxygen. It relaxes the smooth muscles and pumps blood through the internal walls of the blood vessels. It allows the pushing of food through the digestive tract and contraction of the uterus while giving birth.
Muscle contraction are categorized as:
- Shortening muscle fibers and lengthening them generates opposing forces. Therefore, the biceps shorten and the triceps relaxes, pulling the arm up and making it bend at the elbow. Eg: pick up or put down a book.
- The third contraction establishes a stabilizing force that keeps the muscle rigid. Eg: Gripping coffee mug
Heat
Heat is produced. Muscle provides 85% of the body warmth that are distributed equally across the body via blood.
[ Very few body parts are not controlled by the muscular network. Some of them are the sperm cells, certain white blood cells and some hair like cilia in our airways.]
Muscles are involved in ever action of the body including the blinking of an eye to relaxing of the toe. There are about 650 muscle network all over the body.
