Brief Description of Human Movement

The importance of skeletal muscles cannot be underestimated because without them, the body would be incapable of attaining its characteristic upright posture as may be witnessed by the devastating effects of Paraplegia. Movement becomes difficult when the body is unable to assume its normal upright position. According to Jones & Barker (2002) the “…muscles, exited by the nervous system, act on the skeletal structure of the body to promote movement and to provide stability to the skeleton” (p. 50). The muscles produce forces that put pressure on the joints of the body to either provide movement or offer skeletal stability. In normal circumstances, the amount of force applied by a muscle to cause mobility or stability is dependent on the muscle volume, biomechanical attributes and the constitution and position of the joint (Jones & Barker, 2002). Consequently, a wholly functioning musculoskeletal system is fundamental for proper movement to take place.