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© Mike Hewitt/Action Plus Sports Images/Alamy Stock Photo
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Objectives
By studying this chapter, you should be able to do the following:
Draw and label the microstructure of a skeletal muscle fiber.
Define satellite cells. What role do satellite cells play in muscle repair from injury?
List and explain the chain of events that occur during muscular contraction.
Define both dynamic and static exercise. What types of muscle action occur during each form of exercise?
Describe the three factors that determine the amount of force produced during muscular contraction.
Compare and contrast the major biochemical and mechanical properties of the three primary types of muscle fibers found in human skeletal muscle.
Describe how skeletal muscle fiber types influence athletic performance.
Graph and describe the relationship between movement velocity and the amount of force exerted during muscular contraction.
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Outline
Structure of Skeletal Muscle
Neuromuscular Junction
Muscular Contraction
Exercise and Muscle Fatigue
Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps
Dehydration and Electrolyte Imbalance Theory
Altered Neuromuscular Control Theory
Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps: Conclusions
Muscle Fiber Types
Overview of Biochemical and Contractile Characteristics of Skeletal Muscle
Functional Characteristics of Muscle Fiber Types
Fiber Types and Performance
Muscle Actions
Speed of Muscle Action and Relaxation
Force Regulation in Muscle
Force-Velocity/Power-Velocity Relationships
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Key Terms
actin
concentric action
dynamic
eccentric action
endomysium
end-plate potential (EPP)
epimysium
extensors
fascicle
fast-twitch fibers
flexors
intermediate fibers
isometric action
lateral sac
motor neurons
motor unit
muscle action
myofibrils
myosin
neuromuscular junction (NMJ)
perimysium
postactivation potentiation (PAP)
sarcolemma
sarcomeres
sarcoplasmic reticulum
satellite cells
sliding filament model
slow-twitch fibers
summation
swinging lever-arm model
terminal cisternae
tetanus
transverse tubules
tropomyosin
troponin
twitch
type I fibers
type IIa fibers
type IIx fibers
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The human body contains more than 600 skeletal muscles, which constitute 40% to 50% of the total body weight (61). Skeletal muscle performs three important functions: (1) force generation for locomotion and breathing, (2) force generation for postural support, and (3) heat production during cold stress. The most obvious function of skeletal muscle is to enable an individual to move freely and breathe. Current evidence also suggests that skeletal muscles are endocrine organs and play an important role in the regulation of a variety of organ systems in the body. This concept was introduced in Chap. 5 and will be mentioned again in this chapter.
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Skeletal muscles are attached to bones by connective tissue called tendons. One end of the muscle is attached to a bone that does not move (origin), and the opposite end is fixed to a bone (insertion) that is moved during muscular contraction. A variety of different movements are possible, depending on the type of joint and muscles involved. Muscles that decrease joint angles are called flexors, and muscles that increase joint angles are called extensors.
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