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Skeletal Muscle Functions
Skeletal Muscle Functions
Skeletal muscles perform several vital functions for the human body, including:
- Body movement
- Skeletal muscles contract to move the bones of the body, thus, providing movement.
- The skeletal muscles of the limbs are familiar examples of this.
- Body position maintenance
- In addition to movement, skeletal muscles also provide stability and allow us to hold our posture.
- For example, many of the muscles of the back, such as the erector spinae, contract to sustain erect posture while shitting, standing, walking, etc.
- Support internal organs
- Some skeletal muscle supports the internal organs.
- For example, the skeletal muscle of the pelvic diaphragm supports the viscera of the pelvis.
- Regulation of materials
- Skeletal muscle forms sphincters that regulate passage of materials.
- For example, the sphincters of the gastrointestinal tract, such as the cardiac and pyloric sphincters, regulate movment of foods into and out of the stomach.
- Temperature regulation
- Skeletal muscle produces heat when it contracts, which contributes to our normal body temperature.
- When we're cold, for example, we shiver*, which is our muscles contracting/relaxing to produce heat to warm us.