Anatomy - muscular system - agonist and antagonist Flashcards
1
Q
How do muscles usually function?
A
In pairs - one muscle is the agonist and the other the antagonist
2
Q
what is the agonist?
A
the prime mover that contracts to initiate movement
3
Q
what is the antagonist?
A
the muscle that relaxes to allow the contraction to occur
4
Q
what is an example of an agonist and antagonist
A
when we bend our arm, our bicep in the front of the arm contract and shorten, whilst our tricep (the antagonist) in the back of the arm, is relaxing and lengthening
5
Q
why is this concept important?
A
it can help us identify which muscles are being stretched
