Muscles

This chapter describes the structure and function of the three different kinds of muscle; smooth, cardiac and skeletal muscle.

Objectives
After completing this section, you should know:
 * the structure of smooth, cardiac and skeletal muscle and where they are found
 * what the insertion and origin of a muscle is
 * what flexion and extension of a muscle means
 * that muscles usually operate as antagonistic pairs
 * what tendons attach muscles to bones

Summary
vessels; cardiac muscle in the heart and skeletal muscle attached to the skeleton.
 * There are three different kinds of muscle tissue: smooth muscle in the walls of the gut and blood
 * Tendons attach skeletal muscles to the skeleton.
 * Ligaments link bones together at a joint.
 * Skeletal muscles work in pairs known as antagonistic pairs. As one contracts the other in the pair relaxes.
 * Flexion is the movement that reduces the angle of a joint. Extension increases the angle of a joint.

Learning Activities

Library of Resources

Presentations and Blackboard quizzes can be accessed by students of Otago Polytechnic.