The Muscular System 59of these muscles that are more commonly known is
provided in figures 2.19 and 2.20. These and other
muscles are then presented in more detail by region
with a drawing, description of their attachments, and
a more detailed description of their actions in chap-
ters 3 through 7. Chapter 8 provides more in-depth
figures and summary charts of major muscles, useful
for movement analysis. Although the process of learn-
ing muscles can seem overwhelming for someone new
to anatomy, it is made easier if logic rather than just
pure rote memorization is used. A recommended
approach to learning individual muscles follows.- Use Latin and Greek roots to provide informa-
tion. Note that many of the words used in anatomy,
including the names of muscles, have their roots
in Latin or Greek. When learning about specific
muscles it is often helpful to understand the meaning
of these roots. The meaning of selected word roots
is provided in table 2.4 and included for key muscles
in chapters 3 through 7. If one understands the
meaning of these roots, the name of a muscle often
provides useful information about that muscle’s
characteristics.
FIGURE 2.17 Active and passive insufficiency of two-joint muscles. (A) Active insufficiency of the rectus femoris; (B)
passive insufficiency of the hamstrings.
FIGURE 2.18 Lombard’s paradox.
AB
responsible for movements of the body and posture
(Hall, 1999). An overview of selected primary muscles
and the one or two most important actions for some