Respiratory muscles

Respiratory Muscles

The respiratory system, including the respiratory muscles.

The respiratory muscles are a group of muscles that play a crucial role in the process of respiration. These muscles, including the diaphragm, intercostal muscles, and abdominal muscles, work together to facilitate the movement of air in and out of the lungs.

Anatomy

The primary muscle of respiration is the diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity. During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and moves downward, increasing the volume of the thoracic cavity and allowing air to enter the lungs.

The intercostal muscles, located between the ribs, assist in respiration. The external intercostal muscles aid in inhalation by elevating the ribs and expanding the thoracic cavity, while the internal intercostal muscles aid in exhalation by depressing the ribs and reducing the thoracic cavity's volume.

The abdominal muscles, including the rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, and transversus abdominis, are involved in forced exhalation. They compress the abdominal cavity and push the diaphragm upward, decreasing the volume of the thoracic cavity and forcing air out of the lungs.

Function

The respiratory muscles are essential for breathing, as they create changes in the volume of the thoracic cavity to facilitate the flow of air into and out of the lungs. They also play a role in speech, coughing, and sneezing.

Clinical significance

Diseases and conditions that affect the respiratory muscles can lead to respiratory failure. These include neuromuscular diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Guillain-Barré syndrome, and conditions that cause muscle weakness, such as malnutrition and sepsis.

See also

• Respiratory system
• Muscular system
• Human anatomy