The Muscular System: Exploring the Magnificent Muscles of the Human Body

Personal Training
Written By Deniz Ates

How many muscles are there in the human body and how are they arranged? This guide is designed to be a useful resource, providing you with the names of each muscle, categorized groupings, and accompanying images for visual reference. Whether you're a student, a health professional, or simply someone with a curiosity about human anatomy, this post will serve as a valuable reference, enabling you to expand your knowledge and explore the intricate details of each muscle.

 

Anterior

Posterior

There are approximately 650 to 700 muscles in the human body, although the exact number depends on how ‘muscle’ is defined. All the muscles may be arranged into four major groups, with sub-divisions and further sub-divisions:

 

1. Head Zone

 

Head

    • Orbitalis

    • Superior rectus

    • Inferior rectus

    • Medial rectus

    • Lateral rectus

    • Common tendinous ring

    • Superior oblique

    • Inferior oblique

    • Levator palpebrae superioris

    • Tensor tympani

    • Stapedius

    • Mucosa of tympanic cavity

    • Epicranius

    • Procerus

    • Nasalis

    • Depressor septi nasi

    • Orbicularis oculi

    • Corrugator supercilii

    • Depressor supercilii

    • Auricularis anterior

    • Auricularis superior

    • Auricularis posterior

    • Orbicularis oris

    • Depressor anguli

    • Transversus menti

    • Risorius

    • Zygomaticus major

    • Zygomaticus minor

    • Levator labii superioris

    • Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi

    • Depressor labii inferioris

    • Levator anguli oris

    • Modiolus

    • Buccinator

    • Mentalis

    • Masseter

    • Temporalis

    • Lateral pterygoid

    • Medial pterygoid

    • Buccopharyngeal fascia

    • Masseteric fascia

    • Parotid fascia

    • Temporal fascia

    • Genioglossus

    • Hyoglossus

    • Styloglossus

    • Superior longitudinal muscle

    • Inferior longitudinal muscle

    • Transverse muscle

    • Vertical muscle

    • Palatoglossus

    • Palatine aponeurosis

    • Levator veli palatini

    • Tensor veli palatini

    • Musculus uvulae

    • Palatoglossus

    • Palatopharyngeus

 

Neck

    • Platysma

    • Longus colli

    • Longus capitis

    • Scalenus anterior

    • Scalenus medius

    • Scalenus posterior

    • (Scalenus minimus)

    • Sternocleidomastoid

    • Rectus capitis anterior

    • Rectus capitis lateralis

    • Rectus capitis posterior major

    • Rectus capitis posterior minor

    • Obliquus capitis superior

    • Obliquus capitis inferior

    • Digastric

    • Stylohyoid

    • Mylohyoid

    • Geniohyoid

    • Sternohyoid

    • Omohyoid

    • Sternothyroid

    • Thyrohyoid

    • (Levator glandulae thyroideae)

    • Investing layer

    • Pretracheal layer

    • Prevertebral layer

    • Carotid sheath

    • Pharyngeal raphe

    • Pterygomandibular raphe

    • Superior constrictor

    • Middle constrictor

    • Inferior constrictor

    • Stylopharyngeus

    • Salpingtopharyngeus

    • Palatopharyngeus

    • Buccopharyngeal fascia

    • Peripharyngeal space

    • Cricothyroid

    • Posterior crico-arytenoid

    • (ceratocricoid)

    • Lateral crico-arytenoid

    • Vocalis

    • Thyro-arytenoid

    • Oblique arytenoid

    • Transverse arytenoid

 

2. Back Zone

    • Trapezius

    • (Transversus nuchae)

    • Latissimus dorsi

    • Rhomboid major

    • Rhomboid minor

    • Levator scapulae

    • Serratus posterior inferior

    • Serratus posterior superior

    • Anterior cervical intertransversarii

    • Lateral posterior cervical intertransversarii

    • Intertransversarii laterals lumborum

    • Nuchael fascia

    • Erector Spinae

    • Spino-transversales

    • Transverso-spinales

    • Inter-spinales

    • Inter-transversarii

    • Throacolumbar fascia

 

3. Front Zone

    • (Sternals)

    • Pectoralis major

    • Pectoralis minor

    • Subclavius

    • Serratus anterior

    • Levatores costarum

    • External intercostal muscle

    • Internal intercostal membrane

    • Internal intercostal muscle

    • Internal intercostal membrane

    • Innermost intercostal muscle

    • Subcostales

    • Transversus throacis

    • Pectoral fascia

    • Clavipectoral fascia

    • Thoracic fascia

    • Endothoracic fascia

    • Diaphragm

  • Abdomen

    • Rectus abdominis

    • Pyramidalis

    • External oblique

    • Superficial inguinal ring

    • Internal oblique

    • Transversus abdominis

    • Linea alba

    • Linea semilunaris

    • Inguinal canal

    • Quadratus lumborum

    Abdominal fascia

    Pelvic fascia

    Pelvic diaphragm

    Perineal

 

4. Limbs

    • Deltoid

    • Supraspinatus

    • Infraspinatus

    • Teres minor

    • Teres major

    • Subscapularis

    • Biceps brachii

    • Coracobrachialis

    • Brachialis

    • Triceps brachii

    • Anconeus

    • Articulasis cubiti

    • Pronator teres

    • Flexor carpi radialis

    • Palmaris longus

    • Flexor carpi ulnaris

    • Flexor digitorum profundus

    • Flexor pollicis longus

    • Pronator quardratus

    • Brachioradialis

    • Extensor carpi radialis longus

    • Extensor carpi radialis brevis

    • Extensor digitorum

    • Extensor digiti minimi

    • Extensor carpi ulnaris

    • Supinator

    • Abductor pollicis longus

    • Extensor pollicis brevis

    • Extensor pollicis longus

    • Extensor indicis

    • Palmaris brevis

    • Abductor pollicis brevis

    • Flexor pollicis brevis

    • Opponnens pollicis

    • Adductor pollicis

    • Abductor digiti minimi

    • Flexor digiti minimi brevis

    • Opponens digiti minimi

    • Lumbricales

    • Dorsal interossei

    • Palmar interossei

    • Iliopsoas

    • (Psoas minor)

    • Gluteus maximus

    • Gluteus medius

    • Gluteus minimus

    • Gluteal aponeurosis

    • Tensor fascia latae

    • Piriformis

    • Obturator internus

    • Gemellus superior

    • Gemellus inferior

    • Quadratus femoris

    • Sartorius

    • Quadriceps femoris

    • Articuloris genus

    • Pectineus

    • Adductor longus

    • Adductor brevis

    • Adductor magnus

    • Adductor minimus

    • Gracilis

    • Obturator externus

    • Biceps femoris

    • Semitendinosus

    • Semimembranosus

    • Tibialis anterior

    • Extensor digitorum longus

    • Fibularis tertius

    • Extensor hallucis longus

    • Fibularis longus

    • Fibularis brevis

    • Triceps surae

    • Plantaris

    • Popliteus

    • Tibialis posterior

    • Flexor digitorum longus

    • Flexor hallucis longus

    • Extensor hallucis brevis

    • Extensor digitorum brevis

    • Abductor hallucis

    • Flexor hallucis brevis

    • Adductor hallucis

    • Abductor digiti minimi

    • (Opponens digiti minimi)

    • Flexor digiti minimi brevis

    • Flexor digitorum brevis

    • Quadratus plantae

    • Lumbricals

    • Dorsal interossei

    • Plantar interossei

 

References:

Category:human muscles by body part (no date) Wikimedia Commons. Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Human_muscles_by_body_part (Accessed: March 23, 2023).

FCAT (Federative Committee on Anatomical Terminology), (1998) Terminologia Anatomica: International Anatomical Terminology, Stuttgart, Thieme Publishing Group.

Deniz Ates https://www.mrdenizates.com
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