Essay On Muscle Contraction

“A muscle is a tissue composed of cells or fibres, the contraction of which produces movement in the body.” (Dictionary) There are three different types of muscle; voluntary skeletal muscle, involuntary smooth muscle and cardiac muscle. Muscles have many different functions within the body.
One function of muscle is movement. It is the only tissue in the body which is able to contract and therefore can move more than other body parts. Another function is the maintenance of posture. The muscles within the body contract to hold the body still or hold the body in a particular position. The muscles which are responsible for the body’s posture have the greatest endurance of all the muscles as they constantly hold the body up without being tired. Another function of muscles is the control of body heat. Small muscle contractions cause the natural body heat which in humans is 37⁰. When a person exerts themselves more than normal the extra muscle contractions lead to a rise in body temperature and causes sweating. Lastly, a function of muscles is the movement of substances. The cardiac and smooth muscles within the body transport blood and food to sustain a normal body.
One type of muscle in the body is skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle covers the skeleton and is attached to the …show more content…
Isotonic contraction causes body parts to move by lengthening or shortening the muscles. Muscles within the body shorten through concentric contraction. This type of contraction is the most common and occurs during daily activities. An example of this is the knee bending from bent to fully flexed. The opposite of concentric contraction is eccentric contraction. This type of contraction causes the muscle to lengthen during the contraction. This type is less common that concentric contraction. An example is kicking a ball, and as a result this type of contraction is usually involved in muscle injuries (Teach