Functional Anatomy of the Muscle

For around 20 years, structural organization of muscle has been correlated with innervation and the functional capacities of muscle, via the concept of neuromuscular compartments. Additionally, it is now accepted that intramuscular fibrous structures and tendons form an integral part of muscle organization. Particular attention should therefore be given to the connective tissue network and myotendinous junctions. In this chapter, we have chosen to present first the macroscopic architecture of muscle and the concept of neuromuscular compartments. In the second part, we consider the major types of muscle organization for both limb muscles and static muscles. The organization of tendons is developed in the third part, based on examples of injuries suffered by athletes, such as the proximal hamstring complex or the femoral portion of the iliopsoas muscle. Finally in the last part, the issue of muscle variations is discussed using examples that illustrate their functional and morphological repercussions.