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Why Are Muscles Important to Your Skeletal System?

The human body functions by use of various organ systems working in synchrony with each other. These organ systems include the cardiovascular system, respiratory system and gastrointestinal system. Each has a different role and aids in the proper functioning of all organs in the body. The musculoskeletal system, made of bones (skeletal part) and its attached muscles (muscular part) has its own important role too.

  1. Significance

    • Muscles are attached at both ends to underlying bones with cord-like, strong structures called tendons. The part of muscle between both tendons can be called muscle belly. Muscle belly has histological units that help in its contractions and relaxations. Hence, lengthening and shortening of the muscle takes place. It is of utmost importance that muscles and the skeletal system act in perfect harmony for proper function of musculoskeletal system and muscles have the important role of controlling body movements by working with the skeletal system.

    Locomotion

    • Movement of a part or of the whole human body occurs when the muscles contract. It is the most important function which muscles perform in the body. As the muscles contract and shorten, they exert pull on the underlying bone to which they are attached, causing the movement of bone at the joints, resulting in movement of the body. The muscles generate the force to move the body either as a whole, as in walking or of a part of the body, as while performing any physical work.

    Stability

    • The working of opposite groups of muscles (antagonism) provides stability to the skeletal system. The back muscles are responsible for maintaining erect posture in humans, while standing.

    Protection of Underlying Bones

    • The human body has around 650 muscles surrounding the bones to which they are attached. This gives a cushion of tissue cover over the bones and help protect the bones from external trauma.

    Remodeling of Bones

    • After any fracture of a bone, it unites by formation of callous tissue, which is usually irregular in shape. The bones do not unite in perfect alignment, and as a result, there is always some deformity of bone after fracture. The skeletal muscles attached to these bones have an important function of correcting this deformity, known as remodeling of the bone. This is a gradual corrective process occurring due to action of muscles over months to years.

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