Studying For The Practical

Once you have identified all of the muscles required, start studying for your practical! Depending on how many muscles you have to identify, you may need to go to class before or after school in order to get a sufficient amount of studying time.

Here are some simple studying tips!

• Quiz your Partner! During class, work with your partner (if you don't have one you should work with others) to identify muscles in a certain  of the body. Have one partner quiz the other by point to a muscle and asking for the name of it. Or you can ask your partner, "Where is the _______ muscle?" Here is an example of two students who are working together to study:

Jason and Larry working on their pig David!

• Have a Mock Practical! Ask the other students in your class if they would want to participate in a mock practical in order to help study. If you ask your teacher the guidelines or logistics of the practical you can  have a more realistic mock practical. Around one of the large tables in the classroom, set up about 5 or 6 fetal pigs (set up depending on how many muscles you have to identify and how much time you have). Have each group who is participating work on a specific area of the pig to put numbered pins (like the ones below) into different muscles. Also have each group write an answer key to the muscles, and then you are ready to begin! 

Numbered pins for the practical

Students working on placing pins before the
mock practical

• Work on a different pig! Talk to other kids in your class about switching pigs in order to make sure you know the muscles. By looking at a different pig you are able to see the muscle in different sized pigs where the muscles may look different. Some of your classmates may have a isolated muscle that is in better shape than your own. 

Here is Larry looking at Stanley's leg

• Think of Clues! Talk to other groups to discuss ways in which they remember the location of certain muscles. Some people may have good ways to remember muscles for the practical which can help if you have a limited amount of time on the practical.
• Look at our website! We have worked hard to explain in detail the muscles, along with adding pictures that correctly identify the muscles. Also we have a few quizzes that may be helpful in studying!

Hope all of this helps, good luck and we hope you have a fun adventure with your own pig!

Shea, Eliza, and Stanley

Step 9: Inner Thigh Muscles

Below is the Vastus Medialis which originates from the femur. 

Helpful Hint: Make sure you don't get confused between the Vastus medialis and the Vastus lateralis! Remember you can only see the Vastus medialis from the Medial view. Same for the Vastus lateralis.

Vastus medialis

Here is the Rectus femoris again, shown from the Medial view. Click here to look at Step 8 for more information on this muscle.

Rectus femoris, Medial view

Next to the Vastus medialis is the Sartorius. This thin muscle can be hard to isolate. We suggest reflecting the Gracilis before, although it is not crucial. Look below for information about the Gracilis.

Arrows pointing to Sartorius when the Gracilis is
 reflected and unreflected 

The Gracilis is a superficial muscle in the inner thigh. It originates from the ventral surface of the pubis and inserts on the proximal third of the tibia. This muscle has to be reflected in order to identify deeper muscles.

Gracilis 

The Semimembranosus is deeper than the Gracilis and more easily identified once the Gracilis is reflected. This muscle originates from the pelvis and helps with flexing the knee joint.

Semimembranosus

The Adductor magnus can only be isolated when the Gracilis is reflected. It originates from the ventral surface of the pubis and inserts in the femur, along much of its medial side. 

Helpful Hint: The Adductor magnus can often be mistaken for the Pectineus muscle as well, however there is a small break between the two muscles. Be careful not to confuse these two!

Adductor magnus to the left, Pectineus mucle to the right

The Semitendinosus can be seen from both the Lateral and Medial views of the thigh. It is very thick and  inserts in the tibia.

Arrow pointing to Semitendinosus from Medial view

Here is a video of the thigh from the Medial view.

Step 8: Thigh Muscles

The Tensor fasciae latae originates from the crest of the ilium and inserts over the tibia.

The Gluteus medius is parallel to the spine and acts to extend the hip and abduct the thigh. This muscle is much larger than the Gluteus maximus on the fetal pig.

Fun Fact: On humans the size of these muscles are switched; meaning that the Gluteus maximus is much larger than the Gluteus medius.

 The Biceps femoris is very larger and originated from the pelvis, inserts along the tibia. It helps to flex the knee joint and it is located where you would think the Gluteus maximus would be on a human. Make sure you find the break between this muscle and the Gluteus maximus (which is superior to the Biceps femoris).

When viewing the lateral view of the thigh, you are able to identify the Vastus lateralis and the Rectus femoris. They appear to be one single muscle, however there is a break that separates them.

 The Rectus femoris is thick and can be seen in both the lateral view and medial view of the thigh. It originates from the ilium and inserts in the tibia.

The Vastus lateralis is originates from the lateral surface of the femur. This muscle works with the other upper thigh muscles to extend the lower leg and the knee joint.

The Rectus femoris is the thick muscle above the
blunt probe. The Vastus lateralis is in between the
blunt probe and the tweezers.

Here are all of the upper thigh muscles from a lateral view

Here is a video showing the Lateral view of the thigh!

Step 7: Lower Forelimb Muscles

We found the Lower Forelimb to be one of the hardest areas to identify due to its delicate and thin muscles.

 The Brachioradialis is the thickest muscle in the lower forelimb and originates in the humerus, inserting into the radius and ulna.

The Extensor carpi radialis is next to the Brachiordialis and inserts in the metacarpal bones.
The Extensor digitorum communis is in between the Extensor carpi radialis and the Extensor digitorum lateralis and inserts on the digits.
The Extensor digitorum lateralis is next to the Extensor digitorum communis.
Helpful Hint: When isolating these muscles, it is easiest to start off by finding the large break that is located medially down the forearm. This break separates the Extensor digitorum communis and the Extensor digitorum lateralis. 


The Extensor carpi ulnaris is found next to the Lateralis and inserts on the metacarpal bones.

Step 6: Shoulder and Upper Arm Muscles

The Spinodeltoid is the large shoulder muscle. The Deltoid is superficial to this muscle and is easily destroyed because it lies within the connective tissue. Due to the fact that the Deltoid is underdeveloped it is hard to identify.

The Acromiodeltoid is superior to the Spinodeltoid and looks like a flap of muscle.

The Brachiocephalic is the muscle that originates from the back of the neck and inserts in the humerus. It is vertical and somewhat thick.

 The Triceps Brachii splits into two parts: Triceps Brachii Long Head and Triceps Brachii Lateral Head. The Lateral head is closer to the Brachiocephalic while the Long head runs towards the back. Both of these muscles help extend the elbow. The picture below shows the two muscles before they are separated.

Break between Long head and Lateral head

Here are the muscles after separation

The Biceps Brachii is located in the same area as a human's biceps. It is thick and originates from the scapula.

Bicep Brachii is between blunt probe and tweezers

Step 10: Shank Muscles

The Gastronemius is a large muscle in the calf. It extends the ankle and flexes the knee, inserting in the calcaneous.

The Soleus is the other muscle that helps make up the calf muscles. It originates from the fibula and inserts in the calcaneous as well.

The Tibialis anterior is the thickest muscle on the shin, located directly below the knee joint, running down the center of the shin.

Right blunt probe is isolating the Tibialis anterior

The Extensor digitorum longus is lateral to the Tibialis anterior.

Extensor digitorium longus

 The Peroneus longus is lateral to the Extensor digitorum longus. Make sure you can isolate this separate from the Peroneus tertuis. The Peroneus tertuis works with the other shin muscles to help extend the ankle.

Peroneus Tertuis

Peroneus Longus

Step 5: Back Muscles

The first muscle that can be identified on the back of your pig is the Trapezius. This muscle is shaped like a triangle and originates along the top half of the spine, inserting to the spine of the scapula.




Although we accidentally ripped
Stanley's Trapezius, we were still able to
see the muscle

 

The Trapezius is the same shape as a triangle

The Rhomboideus Cervicis is a muscle located along the spine and originates from the cervical vertebrae.

The Rhomboideus Capitis is the muscle that looks similar to the Cervicis, however it is lateral to the Cervicis. It also originates from the occipital area of the cranium.

Helpful Hint: If you are having trouble differentiating between the Rhomboideus Cervicis and the Rhomboideus Capitis, remember that the Cervicis attaches to the cervical vertebrae.

The Splenius is the muscle that is anterior to the Rhomboideus Cervicis, and it is a larger and wider muscle that is directly beneath the Cervicis.

Step 4: Chest/Abdomen Muscles

Chest Muscles:

The large muscle that can be identified in the chest is the Pectoralis Major. This muscle originates from the sternum and inserts along the humerus of the foreleg.

Pectoralis Major

The next muscle that needs to be isolated is the Latissiumus Dorsi. This muscle originates from the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae in the spine. It inserts underneath the Pectoralis Major to the medial surface of the humerus.



Blunt Probe is pointing to insertion of muscle



Green Lines outline the muscle



Step 3: Isolating Cheek and Neck/Throat Muscles

We chose to begin at the top of the body and work our way down towards the lower section.

We started out by finding the Masseter muscle which is located superficial to the jaw bone. Use scissors to cut up from the chin to expose the lateral side of the cheek. The Masseter muscle is the largest muscle in the cheek and is very superficial.























Neck/Throat Muscles:

The Sternohyoid muscle is located inferior to the chin. After clearing the connective tissue from the throat area, you should find the Sternohyoid. This muscle is symmetrical and is lateral to the Sternothyroid.

The Sternothyroid muscle is medial than the Sternohyoid. It is symmetrical  just like the Sternohyoid.

The Sternomastoid muscle is located deeper than the Sternohyoid and Sternothyroid, and is lateral to the Sternohyoid.

Step 2: Finding Muscles

Basic knowledge about finding muscles on your pig:

1. Dissecting Vocabulary:

• Isolating a muscle- removing any excess connective tissue or fat surrounding the muscle and separating it from other muscles so that your blunt probe can lift up the muscle.

Some muscles like above are very large while others are much smaller

• Reflecting- When a superficial muscle is cut in order to identify deeper muscles that are located underneath it.

Unreflected muscle

Reflected muscle



Originate- The area at which a muscle connects and begins

Insert- The area at which a muscle ends and connects

2. Know the difference between muscle tissue and connective tisse/fat tissue.

• Muscle tissue is striated and a darker color than the connective tissue and fat. Connective tissues are a white-pinkish color, surround the muscles of the body, and need to be removed in order to isolate the muscle. If you can see your blunt probe through the tissue, than it is connective tissue or fat and your can rip through it (but still be careful).



Connective Tissue (blunt probe visible)

 

Muscle (blunt probe not visible)