How do I learn muscle actions?

[Izabelle]

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Does anyone have any helpful ideas about learning the actions of muscles? It seemed like it would be so easy to learn, once I knew the origins and insertions, but that's not the case at all. Is anyone else having trouble with this?

How do you learn them? Just memorize them? There are so many little things that one muscle can move. How do I learn this?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!!!

 

[njbmd]

Does anyone have any helpful ideas about learning the actions of muscles? It seemed like it would be so easy to learn, once I knew the origins and insertions, but that's not the case at all. Is anyone else having trouble with this?

How do you learn them? Just memorize them? There are so many little things that one muscle can move. How do I learn this?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!!!

I took a skeleton (or a single bone) and leaned the origins and insertions of each muscle. When the test came around, I could picture the muscle contracting in my mind and I knew the action.

I learned the muscles by compartment dividing into superficial and deep. For example: the gastrocnemious - superficial muscle with Origin on the posterior surfaces of the medial and lateral femoral condyles. The insertion is on the tuberosity of the calcaneous. When I pictured the muscle contracting, the foot would plantar flex.

My strategy:
Learn by compartment (common innervation)
Divide compartment into superficial and deep
Use a skeleton to memorize origin and insertion so you can "see" the muscle action.

I hope that his helps!
njbmd (need sleep) 😴

 

[TxMed]

Does anyone have any helpful ideas about learning the actions of muscles? It seemed like it would be so easy to learn, once I knew the origins and insertions, but that's not the case at all. Is anyone else having trouble with this?

How do you learn them? Just memorize them? There are so many little things that one muscle can move. How do I learn this?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!!!

msk is by far the easiest thing to learn (and do well on tests) b/c you can use your own body to learn and "cheat." if you know where origin/insertion then just look at those places on your body and make the motion that would bring the two (origin and insertion) closer together.

tm

 

[Izabelle]

Thanks to both of you. That was helpful. I need to work on visualizing this stuff more.

Thanks for the help.

 

[78222]

I took a skeleton (or a single bone) and leaned the origins and insertions of each muscle. When the test came around, I could picture the muscle contracting in my mind and I knew the action.

I learned the muscles by compartment dividing into superficial and deep. For example: the gastrocnemious - superficial muscle with Origin on the posterior surfaces of the medial and lateral femoral condyles. The insertion is on the tuberosity of the calcaneous. When I pictured the muscle contracting, the foot would plantar flex.

My strategy:
Learn by compartment (common innervation)
Divide compartment into superficial and deep
Use a skeleton to memorize origin and insertion so you can "see" the muscle action.

I hope that his helps!
njbmd (need sleep) 😴

Thats what i'm doing and it seems to be working.

 

[fpr85]

I use this book for work, perhaps it will help you:

Illustrated Essentials of Musculoskeletal Anatomy

ISBN#: 093515704252495

 

[gostudy]

http://www.getbodysmart.com/ap/muscularsystem/menu/menu.html

 

[Izabelle]

Thanks so much!!!

You know, when school started a few weeks ago, our professors kept talking about teamwork and sharing information and working together. Well, it sounded great but my classmates are not that way. They keep information and resources to themselves. I find it so annoying. I was hoping everyone would embrace the concept of working together because we're all in the same boat, but they are not at all. I guess some people are but not my gross lab partners, or anyone I've met for that matter.

Anyway, it's nice that most people here seem really willing to help and to provide information.

Thanks.

 

[francisdoss]

http://www.getbodysmart.com/ap/muscularsystem/menu/menu.html

Great....

 

[njbmd]

You know, when school started a few weeks ago, our professors kept talking about teamwork and sharing information and working together. Well, it sounded great but my classmates are not that way. They keep information and resources to themselves.

You just started medical school and some folks have a bit of a problem with maturity at this point. As they move along in the process, they will mature a bit and realize that you all are colleagues.Sometimes it takes a while for the "premed" syndrome to wear off and for people to grow up.

Setting a good example helps. Share what you have at every chance you get. I make hundreds of study sheets and note packages for my fellow classmates. I got the benefit of making the study aid and my classmate benefitted from my work. Even four years later, students are still using my notes in physiology.

Our class came together pretty quickly and most of us are still pretty close even four years later. It made medical school an endless blast. My guess is that your classmates will come around. In the meantime, utilize the wisdom of your upperclassmen.

njbmd

 

[Izabelle]

Thanks for the great advice, njbmd. And for the encouragement. I think (and hope) they will come around too. The experience will be so much more fulfilling if they do.

I wish more of them read SDN. This is, by far, the best resource I've found for all aspects of medical school - the academic, psychological, and emotional aspects of it.

Thanks to all of you who replied. I appreciate the help.

--Izabelle