Figure 1. Overview of the Muscular System<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n On the anterior and posterior views of the muscular system above, superficial muscles (those at the surface) are shown on the right side of the body while deep muscles (those underneath the superficial muscles) are shown on the left half of the body. For the legs, superficial muscles are shown in the anterior view while the posterior view shows both superficial and deep muscles.<\/p>\n\n\n Figure 2. Understanding a Muscle Name from the Latin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Anatomists name the skeletal muscles according to a number of criteria, each of which describes the muscle in some way. These include naming the muscle after its shape, its size compared to other muscles in the area, its location in the body or the location of its attachments to the skeleton, how many origins it has, or its action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The skeletal muscle\u2019s anatomical location or its relationship to a particular bone often determines its name. For example, the frontalis muscle is located on top of the frontal bone of the skull. Similarly, the shapes of some muscles are very distinctive and the names, such as orbicularis, reflect the shape. For the buttocks, the size of the muscles influences the names: gluteus\u00a0maximus\u00a0(largest), gluteus\u00a0medius\u00a0(medium), and gluteus\u00a0minimus\u00a0(smallest). Names were given to indicate length\u2014brevis\u00a0(short),\u00a0longus\u00a0(long)\u2014and to identify position relative to the midline:\u00a0lateralis\u00a0(to the outside away from the midline), and\u00a0medialis\u00a0(toward the midline). The direction of the muscle fibers and fascicles are used to describe muscles relative to the midline, such as the\u00a0rectus\u00a0(straight) abdominis, or the\u00a0oblique\u00a0(at an angle) muscles of the abdomen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some muscle names indicate the number of muscles in a group. One example of this is the quadriceps, a group of four muscles located on the anterior (front) thigh. Other muscle names can provide information as to how many origins a particular muscle has, such as the biceps brachii. The prefix\u00a0bi\u00a0indicates that the muscle has two origins and\u00a0tri\u00a0indicates three origins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The location of a muscle\u2019s attachment can also appear in its name. When the name of a muscle is based on the attachments, the origin is always named first. For instance, the sternocleidomastoid muscle of the neck has a dual origin on the sternum (sterno) and clavicle (cleido), and it inserts on the mastoid process of the temporal bone. The last feature by which to name a muscle is its action. When muscles are named for the movement they produce, one can find action words in their name. Some examples are\u00a0flexor\u00a0(decreases the angle at the joint),\u00a0extensor\u00a0(increases the angle at the joint),\u00a0abductor\u00a0(moves the bone away from the midline), or\u00a0adductor\u00a0(moves the bone toward the midline).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Muscle names are based on many characteristics. The location of a muscle in the body is important. Some muscles are named based on their size and location, such as the gluteal muscles of the buttocks. Other muscle names can indicate the location in the body or bones with which the muscle is associated, such as the tibialis anterior. The shapes of some muscles are distinctive; for example, the direction of the muscle fibers is used to describe muscles of the body midline. The origin and\/or insertion can also be features used to name a muscle; examples are the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, and the pectoralis major.<\/p>\n\n\n\n abductor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n moves the bone away from the midline<\/p>\n\n\n\n adductor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n moves the bone toward the midline<\/p>\n\n\n\n bi<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n two<\/p>\n\n\n\n brevis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n short<\/p>\n\n\n\n extensor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n muscle that increases the angle at the joint<\/p>\n\n\n\n flexor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n muscle that decreases the angle at the joint<\/p>\n\n\n\n lateralis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n to the outside<\/p>\n\n\n\n longus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n long<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maximus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n largest<\/p>\n\n\n\n medialis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n to the inside<\/p>\n\n\n\n medius<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n medium<\/p>\n\n\n\n minimus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n smallest<\/p>\n\n\n\n oblique<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n at an angle<\/p>\n\n\n\n rectus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n straight<\/p>\n\n\n\n tri<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n three<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","mpcs-curriculum-tags":[],"mpcs-curriculum-categories":[],"class_list":["post-23787","mpcs-lesson","type-mpcs-lesson","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bodyflyfitness.com\/website_31847406\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mpcs-lesson\/23787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bodyflyfitness.com\/website_31847406\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mpcs-lesson"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bodyflyfitness.com\/website_31847406\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/mpcs-lesson"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bodyflyfitness.com\/website_31847406\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"mpcs-curriculum-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bodyflyfitness.com\/website_31847406\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mpcs-curriculum-tags?post=23787"},{"taxonomy":"mpcs-curriculum-categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bodyflyfitness.com\/website_31847406\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mpcs-curriculum-categories?post=23787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
REVIEW<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
GLOSSARY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![Latin Root of Muscles<\/a>](\"https:\/\/bodyflyfitness.com\/website_31847406\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/latinroot.png\"){kind=link}