Medical Terminology Simplified

454 CHAPTER 10• Musculoskeletal System

Chiropractic

Another health-care provider who treats musculoskeletal disorders is thechiropractor.Unlike medical doctors and
osteopaths, chiropractors are not physicians. They do not employ drugs or surgery, the primary basis of treatment
used by medical physicians. Chiropractic medicineis a system of therapy based on the theory that disease is caused
by pressure on nerves. Nevertheless, chiropractors employ the use of radiographic images to diagnose pathological
disorders and determine the most effective type of treatment. In most instances, chiropractic treatment involves phys-
ical manipulation of the spinal column.

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OVERVIEW

The musculoskeletal system includes muscles, bones, joints, and related structures, such as tendons and connective
tissue, that function in the movement of body parts and organs.
Muscles have four key functions: producing body movements, stabilizing body positions, storing and moving sub-
stances within the body, and generating heat. Through contraction, muscles cause motion and help maintain body
posture. Less apparent motions that muscles are responsible for include the passage and elimination of food through
the digestive system, propulsion of blood through the arteries, and contraction of the bladder to eliminate urine. In
addition, muscles function in body movements in several different ways to allow a range of motion for the contraction
and relaxation of muscle fibers. (See Fig. 10–1.)

Brachioradialis

Trapezius

Triceps brachii

Gluteus

maximus

Biceps femoris

Soleus

Achilles tendon

Gastrocnemius

Deltoid

Brachioradialis

Triceps

brachii

Masseter

Sternocleidomastoid

Pectoralis

major

Brachialis

Biceps brachii

Rectus

abdominis

Orbicularis oculi

Figure 10-1Selected muscles of the body. (A)Posterior view. (B)Anterior view.

A B