The Human Body Has More Than 650 Muscles

Muscles do far more than lift heavy things. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, states that there are more than 650 muscles in the human body and that muscles control all movement in the body. They also help you breathe, pump your blood and move food through your gut. There are three main types of muscle: skeletal, smooth and cardiac. Skeletal muscles help you move, sit up straight and keep your balance. They are sometimes called voluntary muscles because you can control them. Smooth muscles work without you having to think about them, which is why they are sometimes called involuntary muscles. They help you focus your eyes and move food through your body. Even when you sit perfectly still, muscles in your body are constantly working.