Henry Gray (1825–1861). Anatomy of the Human Body. 1918.
| Rhomboideus; (5) from the number of their divisions, as the Biceps and Triceps; (6) from their points of attachment, as the Sternocleidomastoideus, Sternohyoideus, Sternothyreoideus. |
| In the description of a muscle, the term origin is meant to imply its more fixed or central attachment; and the term insertion the movable point on which the force of the muscle is applied; but the origin is absolutely fixed in only a small number of muscles, such as those of the face which are attached by one extremity to immovable bones, and by the other to the movable integument; in the greater number, the muscle can be made to act from either extremity. |
| In the dissection of the muscles, attention should be directed to the exact origin, insertion, and actions of each, and to its more important relations with surrounding parts. While accurate knowledge of the points of attachment of the muscles is of great importance in the determination of their actions, it is not to be regarded as conclusive. The action of the muscle deduced from its attachments, or even by pulling on it in the dead subject, is not necessarily its action in the living. By pulling, for example, on the Brachioradialis in the cadaver the hand may be slightly supinated when in the prone position and slightly pronated when in the supine position, but there is no evidence that these actions are performed by the muscle during life. It is impossible for an individual to throw into action any one muscle; in other words, movements, not muscles, are represented in the central nervous system. To carry out a movement a definite combination of muscles is called into play, and the individual has no power either to leave out a muscle from this combination or to add one to it. One (or more) muscle of the combination is the chief moving force; when this muscle passes over more than one joint other muscles (synergic muscles) come into play to inhibit the movements not required; a third set of muscles (fixation muscles) fix the limb—i. e., in the case of the limb-movements—and also prevent disturbances of the equilibrium of the body generally. As an example, the movement of the closing of the fist may be considered: (1) the prime movers are the Flexores digitorum, Flexor pollicis longus, and the small muscles of the thumb; (2) the synergic muscles are the Extensores carpi, which prevent flexion of the wrist; while (3) the fixation muscles are the Biceps and Triceps brachii, which steady the elbow and shoulder. A further point which must be borne in mind in considering the actions of muscles is that in certain positions a movement can be effected by gravity, and in such a case the muscles acting are the antagonists of those which might be supposed to be in action. Thus in flexing the trunk when no resistance is interposed the Sacrospinales contract to regulate the action of gravity, and the Recti abdominis are relaxed. 1 |
| By a consideration of the action of the muscles, the surgeon is able to explain the causes of displacement in various forms of fracture, and the causes which produce distortion in various deformities, and, consequently, to adopt appropriate treatment in each case. The relations, also, of some of the muscles, especially those in immediate apposition with the larger bloodvessels, and the surface markings they produce, should be remembered, as they form useful guides in the application of ligatures to those vessels. |
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| 1. Mechanics of Muscle |
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| In studying the mechanical action of muscles 1back] |
