Where are the skeletal muscles located?
There are skeletal muscles throughout your body. They’re located between bones.
What are the skeletal muscles made of?
Skeletal muscles consist of flexible muscle fibers that range from less than half an inch to just over three inches in diameter. These fibers usually span the length of the muscle. The fibers contract (tighten), which allows the muscles to move bones so you can perform lots of different movements.
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How are the skeletal muscles structured?
Each muscle can contain thousands of fibers. Different types of sheaths, or coverings, surround the fibers:
- Epimysium: The outermost layer of tissue surrounding the entire muscle.
- Perimysium: The middle layer surrounding bundles of muscle fibers.
- Endomysium: The innermost layer surrounding individual muscle fibers.
What do skeletal muscles look like?
Skeletal muscle fibers are red and white. They look striated, or striped, so they’re often called striated muscles. Cardiac muscles are also striated, but smooth muscles aren’t.
How heavy are skeletal muscles?
Although skeletal muscles typically make up roughly 35% of your body weight, this can vary from person to person. Men have about 36% more skeletal muscle mass than women. People who are tall or overweight also tend to have higher muscle mass. Muscle mass decreases with age in both men and women.
