Muscles are responsible for every movement and all traveling that occurs within, all managed through coordination and pulling. There are about 700 muscles in the human body, about 600 of which are skeletal.

Parts Involved in the Muscular System

• Skeletal muscles – muscles attached to skeleton that enable movement (come in pairs, usually contract voluntarily, and can twitch or sustain tension)
• Cardiac muscles – specialized striated muscles that comprise the heart (features include endurance and consistency)
• Smooth muscles – in the digestive system, blood vessels, bladder, airways and the uterus (can stretch, sustain tension and contract involuntarily)
• Tendons – tough, white, resilient extremities of muscles which connect to bone
• Fascia – fibrous membrane covering, supporting and separating muscles

Muscular Functions

• Contracting
• Relaxing
• Locking in place, preventing either motion

Muscly Fun Facts

Muscles are efficient at turning fuel into motion, they are long-lasting, they are self-healing and they are able to grow stronger with practice. Lactic acid is produced when too little oxygen reaches the muscle. Eyes are the busiest muscles in the body with movements estimated at 100,000 per day.