How Muscles Affect Movement (AQA GCSE Physical Education (PE))
Revision Note
Written by: Emma Archbold
Reviewed by: Lára Marie McIvor
How Muscles Move the Skeleton
At each joint, multiple different muscle groups work together to cause movement in two or more directions
Each joint has muscles called prime movers, which are the muscles most responsible for the action of the joint
Muscles often work together in pairs to create movement in two directions:
Agonist muscles contract and therefore shorten, pulling the bone at the joint and causing the movement, this can also be called the prime mover
Antagonist muscles relax during a movement and therefore lengthen
When muscles contract it can result in different outcomes:
Isometric muscle contractions do not cause movement because the muscle length does not change
An example of this is tensing a muscle when holding a lifted weight still, or holding a plank by keeping the body in a fixed position
Isotonic movement involves the lengthening or shortening of muscles, leading to movement at a joint
Concentric contraction is when the muscle shortens
Eccentric contraction is when the muscle lengthens
Antagonistic muscle pairs at major joints table
Antagonistic muscle pair | Type of movement caused by the pair | Example of use during sport |
|---|---|---|
Biceps and triceps | Movement of the lower arm at the elbow | Netball, badminton, tennis, darts |
Hamstrings and quadriceps | Movement of the leg at both the knee and hip | Sprinting, swimming, cycling |
Gluteals and hip flexors | Movement of the leg at the hip | High jump, football |
Gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior | Movement of the foot at the ankle | Running |
Pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi | Movement the upper arm at the shoulder | Climbing, swimming |
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You may be asked to describe the muscles, bones and types of movement of the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and ankle joints. All of this information is covered earlier in the topic.
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