any tips on learning muscles? thanks!!
Oh…figuring out how to learn muscles took me a while when I was in 1st year. Seems impossible but it actually is doable.
1. Make use of tables in your textbook. Most of the anatomy textbooks provide you with a table in which you have all points of insertion, blood supply, nerve supply and action of a certain muscle. [see: MOORE’S CLINICALLY ORIENTED ANATOMY - the best book for learning muscles in my opinion. The tables are already made, they are short and have essential info. Additionally, drawings of a muscle is provided with a short paragraph describing it. Read the paragraph at first and then refer it to the drawing, repeat info from the table, test your knowledge from it].
2. When it comes to the upper limb - buy markers in different colours and draw it out on yourself. It seems funny but it helps you remember the muscles there.
3. Use photographs and test yourself from them [see: MCMINN/YOKOCHI ATLAS OF ANATOMY - they have a very detailed, high quality photos of cadavers, labelled.]
4. Go to the dissection room as many times as you’re allowed to. Bring your friend and test yourselves on cadaver, provide reasoning, argue, discover variabilities.
5. When in doubt, ask your prof - better early than never. Being in doubt and seeking right answers is just what the process of learning is about.
6. Learn the muscles as provided, in groups (extensors, flexors etc) it just makes more sense. Also, seek characteristic traits in them, what makes them different from one another - the practical attitude is very helpful here.
I wish you luck with learning muscles. Don’t get easily discouraged, it will take some time but you can do it!
