Role of the muscles, ligaments and tendon in movement

Antagonistic Muscles

For every muscle or group of muscles that brings about movement of a certain part of the body, there is another muscle or group of muscles which bring about an opposite movement. Such muscles, bringing about opposite movements, are called antagonistic muscles. They make the smooth co-ordination of movement possible. As the one muscle contracts, the other (which is able to bring about an opposite movement) will relax, and vice versa.

All skeletal muscles exits in pairs and they act as antagonistic pairs. Antagonistic - One muscles contract, the other must relax. Examples of antagonistic muscles: *Biceps *Triceps

Joint structure and antagonistic muscle pairs

A. Humerus (upper arm) bone. B. Synovial membrane that encloses the joint capsule and produces synovial fluid. C. Synovial fluid (reduces friction and absorbs pressure). D. Ulna (radius) the levers in the flexion and extension of the arm. E. Cartilage (red) living tissue that reduces the friction at joints. F. Ligaments that connect bone to bone and produce stability at the joint.

Antagonistic Pairs

To produce movement at a joint muscles work in pairs. Muscles can only actively contract and shorten. They cannot actively lengthen. One muscles bends the limb at the joint (flexor) which in the elbow is the biceps. One muscles straightens the limb at the joint (extensor) which in the elbow is the triceps.

Elbow joint structure.

1. Humerus forms the shoulder joint also the origin for each of the two biceps tendons 2. Biceps (flexor) muscle provides force for an arm flexion (bending). As the main muscle it is known as the agonist. 3. Biceps insertion on the radius of the forearm 4. Elbow joint which is the fulcrum or pivot for arm movement 5. Ulna one of two levers of the forearm Technically in a flexion like this the Biceps performs a concentric contraction.

6. Triceps muscle is the extensor whose contraction straightens the arm. 7. Elbow joint which is also the pivot (fulcrum)for this movement. It should be noted that the description of movement is fairly complex. A true Triceps extension takes place against gravity. Exercise: Bend your arm in a flexion. Point your elbow upwards vertically. Raise your hand vertically above your head. This is a true concentric contraction of the Triceps Pick up a heavy object in concentric Biceps flexion. Now lower and straighten your arm. You should feel your Biceps contracted but Triceps relaxed. That an eccentric contraction of the Biceps This just shows how complex movement can be!

Muscles
Made

Ligaments
Made

Tendon
Made

up of bundles of muscles fibers.

up of tough and strong connective tissue

up of nonstretchable fibers

Elastic

Flexible,

strong, elastic

Strong, tough, inelastic.

Attached

to the bone

Bone

to bone

Muscle

to bone

Contract,

relax to produce

Allow

movement

two bones to hold together. Transmit the force Ensures the bones do not produce by skeletal muscles dislocated. to the bone

Bending the forearm

When the biceps muscle contract the triceps muscle relax. Contraction of the biceps muscles produced force. The force is transmitting to radius by tendon and the radius is pull up. Thus, bending the arm at the elbow joint

Straightening the forearm

When the triceps muscle contracts, the biceps muscle relax. Contraction of the triceps muscles produced force. The force is transmitting to ulna by tendon and the ulna is pull down. Thus, straightened the arm at the elbow joint

Why does muscles need to work in pairs? Since a muscle cannot push, but only pulls, it has to be extending back to its original lengths by the opening action of another muscle. Therefore, muscle must work in pairs.