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Volume 42, Number 1, January 1996:
Muscle Names

Text-only version


ABOUT THIS ISSUE
- about KSN
- about the author

IN THIS ISSUE
- introduction
- how muscles are named
-- direction of muscle fibers
-- muscle size, location
--
location of the muscle attachment, origin and Insertion on bones
--
number of origins, relation of the muscle to the bone
-- figure 1
--
shape and type of action by the muscle
- muscles of the upper limb
-- upper arm muscles
-- forearm muscles
-- figure 3
- muscles of the lower limb
-- figure 4
-- figure 5
- muscles of the trunk
-- figure 6
-- figure 7
- muscle anatomy terms
- references

SLIDESHOW
View all images in this issue.

 

Muscle Names
by David Saunders

4. Location of the Muscle Attachment (Association with Bone)

Many muscles are named as a result of their association with a particular bone. The temporalis muscle is found covering the temporal bone while the frontalis muscle is found covering the frontal bone of the skull.

5. Location of Muscle's Origin and Insertion on Bones:

All muscles have an origin and insertion. The origin is the part of the body, usually a bone, where the muscle attaches, and does not move when the muscle contracts. The insertion is the part of the body where the muscle attaches, and moves when the muscle contracts. Some muscles are named based upon their origin and insertion. The first part of the muscle name indicates the origin while the second part indicates the insertion. For example, the muscle that has its origin on the breast bone and clavicle (collar bone) and that inserts on a breast shaped process of the skull is termed the sternocleidomastoid: sterno (G: "breast bone"), cleido (G: "clavicle"), and mastoid (G: "breast shape").



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