Muscular System Word Search

ABDOMINAL – Muscles located in the front and sides of the abdomen that support the trunk, protect internal organs, and assist with breathing, posture, and movement.

ACTIN – A thin protein filament that works with myosin during muscle contraction. Actin slides past myosin filaments, causing muscles to shorten and generate force for movement.

BICEPS – A two-headed muscle located on the front of the upper arm responsible for flexing the elbow and rotating the forearm, commonly associated with arm strength.

CARDIAC – Specialized involuntary muscle tissue found exclusively in the heart walls that contracts rhythmically throughout life to pump blood continuously through the circulatory system without conscious control.

CORE – The group of muscles in the torso, including abdominals and back muscles, that stabilize the spine, maintain posture, and transfer force between upper and lower body.

DELTOID – The triangular-shaped shoulder muscle covering the shoulder joint, responsible for lifting and rotating the arm in multiple directions, giving shoulders their rounded appearance and strength.

EXTENSOR – A muscle that increases the angle between body parts by straightening a joint, opposite of flexors. Examples include muscles that straighten the elbow, knee, or fingers.

FASCIA – A thin connective tissue layer that surrounds and separates muscles, organs, and other structures, providing support, reducing friction, and transmitting mechanical forces throughout the body.

FIBER – An individual muscle cell, also called a myocyte, containing contractile proteins. Muscle fibers bundle together to form complete muscles capable of generating force and movement.

FLEX – The action of bending a joint or decreasing the angle between two body parts, such as bending the elbow or knee, typically performed by flexor muscles.

FLEXOR – A muscle that decreases the angle between body parts by bending a joint, opposite of extensors. Examples include muscles that bend the elbow, knee, or curl fingers.

HAMSTRING – A group of three muscles located on the back of the thigh that work together to bend the knee and extend the hip, commonly injured during running.

INSERTION – The attachment point where a muscle connects to the bone that moves during contraction, typically located farther from the body’s center than the muscle’s origin point.

MUSCLE – Contractile tissue composed of fibers that generate force and motion by shortening and lengthening. Muscles enable movement, maintain posture, and produce heat for the body.

MYOSIN – A thick protein filament that interacts with actin during muscle contraction. Myosin heads pull on actin filaments, creating the sliding motion that causes muscles to contract.

ORIGIN – The attachment point where a muscle connects to the stationary bone during contraction, typically located closer to the body’s center than the muscle’s insertion point maintains stability.

PECTORALS – The chest muscles consisting of pectoralis major and minor, responsible for moving the shoulder and arm across the body, pushing movements, and stabilizing the shoulder joint.

SARCOMERE – The basic functional unit of muscle contraction, consisting of overlapping actin and myosin filaments arranged in repeating segments. Sarcomeres shorten during contraction, producing muscle movement and force.

SKELETAL – Voluntary striated muscle tissue attached to bones by tendons, responsible for conscious body movements. Skeletal muscles work in pairs to move bones at joints through contraction.

SMOOTH – Involuntary muscle tissue found in walls of hollow organs like blood vessels, stomach, and intestines. Smooth muscle contracts slowly and rhythmically without conscious control or fatigue.

STRIATED – Muscle tissue displaying alternating light and dark bands under microscopy due to organized protein arrangement. Both skeletal and cardiac muscles are striated, unlike smooth muscle tissue.

TENDON – Strong, fibrous connective tissue that attaches muscles to bones, transmitting the force generated by muscle contractions to create movement at joints while maintaining structural stability and strength.

TRAPEZIUS – A large, diamond-shaped muscle extending across the upper back and neck that moves and stabilizes the shoulder blades, supports head movement, and maintains proper posture.

TRICEPS – A three-headed muscle located on the back of the upper arm that extends the elbow joint, opposing the biceps muscle, essential for pushing movements and straightening.