What is the function of muscles?

The muscular system facilitates the movement of our body, allowing the mobility of the skeleton, but also works in harmony with other systems of our body to guarantee the proper functioning of the body.

A healthy muscle is not, contrary to what many think, a merely aesthetic aspect, on the contrary it is important to keep them healthy if we want to move properly and without conflicts. Do you wonder what is the function of muscles? Well, pay attention because we explain it to you in detail.

Types of muscles

The muscular system, which makes up 40% of our body”s weight, is made up of three types of muscles together with various tendons, which, thanks to their contraction capacity, allow us to move.

The types of muscle are:

Skeletal muscle

Attached to the skeleton through tendons, they are the most abundant type of muscle in the body. This type is also known as striated muscle, it receives orders from the nervous system to perform normally voluntary movements allowing the body to move, posture and support the skeleton.

Smooth muscle

Present in various organs of our body, this type of musculature responds to involuntary movements that help different organs to contract and stay in tune. We can find them in the digestive system, the uterus or the bladder.

Cardiac muscle

Also known as myocardium, this type of muscle is located in the heart and responds to involuntary movements that allow rhythmic contraction and, therefore, the proper heartbeat of this organ. This muscle does not respond to the orders of the nervous system but functions autonomously.

Movement, contraction and stability

Due to its power of contraction, one of the main functions of the muscles in the body is their ability to allow movement both involuntarily, for example movements of the diaphragm or the digestive system, and voluntary movements such as walking, jumping or running.

The musculature is essential to move the limbs, but also to guarantee the adequate movement of blood and the stability of our body, since together with the bones they allow us to be upright or maintain an adequate posture when carrying out daily activities.

Facilitate the function of other organs and systems

By allowing involuntary movements thanks to their property of contracting, the muscles also help maintain the health and tone of different organs that require this contraction. For example, the intestines, helping to regulate intestinal transit, the uterus, allowing contractions that facilitate the fertilization of the ovum or the expulsion of the endometrium during menstruation, or the arteries, helping the movement of blood.

At the same time, the muscles contribute to the proper functioning of the cardiovascular or digestive system, which is why their proper health is essential.

Promote heat production

Have you ever wondered why we sometimes shiver with the cold? This is one of the functions of the muscles that, at the moment of receiving the impulse from the nervous system that indicates that the body temperature is falling, begin to contract to generate caloric energy and, therefore, warm us, helping to increase body temperature.

Other functions of muscles

• Allow the performance of various facial gestures that facilitate our expression.
• Alert us that something is not right with our health or that we are facing a certain condition. This occurs when muscle contractions become intense in a specific area, for example in the uterus during menstrual pain, in the stomach when we feel colic or even at the beginning of the labour process with the contractions that signal the next arrival of the baby.
• They help protect the various organs of our body and also our skeleton.
• They shape our body and, when developed and strengthened, help define our physical appearance.