Let us know the muscular system in the human body.
The muscular system consists of 215 pairs of skeletal muscles, about 600 in total, and contributes to 40% of our body weight.
The three functions of the muscular system are:
- Movement
- Heat production
- Posture and body support
1. MOVEMENT:
We know that it is easier to move or lift the weight using levers; similarly, our body’s musculoskeletal system also adopts the same principle.
- Lever – the bone mostly
- Fulcrum – usually the joint
- Resistive force – the external force that acts against muscle force, for example – gravity
- Torque – rotation of the object about a fulcrum
- First-class lever – Muscle force and resistive force on a different side of the fulcrum
- Second class lever – Muscle force and resistive force on the same side of fulcrum with the muscle force acting longer than the resistive force
- Third class lever – Muscle and resistive force on the same side of fulcrum with muscle force acting shorter than the resistive force
Muscles are movers and stabilizers of our bodies; they provide the human body with a majority of functions that allow the manipulation of forces placed on the body.
- Agonist – prime mover
- Synergist – assist prime mover
- Stabilizer – stabilizes when prime mover and synergist work
- Antagonist – oppose prime mover
2. HEAT PRODUCTION:
70% of body heat is by energy produced in muscle tissue. Muscles are responsive to both internal and external heat. When the heat on the interior reaches too low, the skeletal muscles contract and relax involuntarily to generate heat. Cold air from the exterior increases muscle tone, whereas hot temperatures or warmer conditions have a relaxing effect on muscles.
3. POSTURE AND BODY SUPPORT:
Sensory receptors monitor the tension and length of the muscles. Muscles are never at complete rest, and the tensions produced by contractions between the opposing groups help us remain static even when asleep.
We shall identify five different sports and the respective muscle groups they use.
Different sports and muscle groups used:
In Cricket the muscle groups used are:
Hamstring, calf muscle, quadriceps, shoulders, and rotator cuff
In Tennis the muscle groups used are:
Quadriceps, calf muscles, hamstring, core, shoulders, and upper back
In Football the muscle groups used are:
Glutes, hamstring, quadriceps, shoulder, pecs, and core
In Swimming the muscle groups used are:
Core, lower back muscles, glutes, pecs, shoulders, and hamstring
In Golf the muscle groups used are:
Oblique, hip rotators, abductors, adductors, shoulders, and back muscles