Theodore Dimon - The Body in Motion: Its Evolution and Design

Other books by Theodore Dimon, Jr.

The Elements of Skill:
A Conscious Approach to Learning

The Undivided Self:
Alexander Technique and the Control of Stress

Anatomy of the Moving Body, Second Edition:
A Basic Course in Bones, Muscles, and Joints

Your Body, Your Voice:
The Key to Natural Singing and Speaking

Copyright 2011 by Theodore Dimon, Jr. All rights reserved. No portion of this book, except for brief review, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the written permission of the publisher. For information contact North Atlantic Books.

Published by
North Atlantic Books
P.O. Box 12327
Berkeley, California 94712

Cover art iStockphoto.com/Comotion Design
Cover design by Brad Greene
Illustrations by G. David Brown

The Body in Motion: Its Evolution and Design is sponsored by the Society for the Study of Native Arts and Sciences, a nonprofit educational corporation whose goals are to develop an educational and cross-cultural perspective linking various scientific, social, and artistic fields; to nurture a holistic view of arts, sciences, humanities, and healing; and to publish and distribute literature on the relationship of mind, body, and nature.

North Atlantic Books publications are available through most bookstores. For further information, visit our website at www.northatlanticbooks.com or call 800-733-3000.

The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows:

Dimon, Theodore.
The body in motion : its evolution and design / Theodore Dimon Jr.
p.; cm.
eISBN: 978-1-58394-691-6
1. Musculoskeletal systemAnatomy. 2. Musculoskeletal systemEvolution. 3. Human locomotion. 4. Human locomotion. I. Title.
[DNLM: 1. Musculoskeletal Systemanatomy & histology. 2. Biomechanics.
3. Movement. 4. Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena. WE 101 D582b 2010]
QM100.D563 2010
611.7dc22

2010021590

v3.1

To Walter Carrington, with gratitude and appreciation

A primitive fish (amphioxus)

Lateral flexion in a fish

Early amphibians coming onto land

Extensors of trunk and legs

Diagram showing where muscles are needed to keep a structure from falling down

Extensor muscles of the back: a. deep postural muscles; b. erector spinae

Muscles on front of spine that support the cervical and lumbar curves

Forward balance of the skull

Head balance in relation to the extensors of neck and back

The sub-occipital muscles are crucial indicators of posture and balance in the body

Head balance in a cat

Head balance in a human

Disruption of head balance

Spine as a bridge

The upright human spine

Flexor muscles on the front of the body

Flexor muscles on the front of the spine

Tent pole and guy wires

Sternocleidomastoid muscles supporting the rib cage

Backward pull of sternocleidomastoid muscle on head

Head balance

The spine

Vertebrae of the spine

Notochord and neural tube

Developing arch and body of vertebra

Evolutionary development of the spine

The thoracic curve in a four-footed animal

The balanced curves in the human spine

The shoulder girdle

Shoulder girdle with immobile socket vs. mobile socket

Muscles from entire length of spine converging into shoulder

Muscles moving the scapula

Evolution of pectoral fin to the forelimb of an early amphibian

Suspensory muscles of the shoulder girdle

Pectoral muscle attaching to coracoid process

Muscles attaching to the upper arm

Pectoralis major

Widening of the shoulder girdle

Bones of the left upper limb

Action of the hand at the wrist

Rotation of the radius around the ulna

Rotation mechanism of the forearm

Bones of the hand

Action of the lumbrical muscles

Bones and joints of the thumb

Distal joints of the thumb

Action of TM joint showing the movement of the thumb pad in relation to the hand

TM joint at base of movable column

Bones of the pelvis

Front view of the pelvis

Relationship of the pelvis to the spine in a fish and amphibian

The scapula of the pelvis transmits force to the spine

The scapula of the shoulder girdle absorbs force

Arch of pelvis transmitting weight to legs

The ischial tuberosities form rockers for sitting

Iliopsoas muscle

Cross-section of iliopsoas and erector spinae muscles

Relation of the psoas muscle to the pelvis and spine

Bones of the lower limb

Distribution of weight on the leg bones

The ankle joint

The ankle joint showing its action

Transverse joint showing its action

Where the lower leg sits on the arch of the foot

The plantar vault

The medial, lateral, and transverse arches

Triangle showing the three arches of the foot

Length in the legs

Movement of the ribs during inhalation and exhalation

Movement of the diaphragm during inhalation and exhalation

Anatomy of the diaphragm

Anatomy of the rib cage

Thoracic and abdominal contents divided by the diaphragm

Flexor and extensor support of the rib cage

Widening of back and freeing of ribs

Third layer of back muscles

Fourth layer of back muscles

Fifth layer of back muscles

When air passes between the vocal folds, they vibrate to produce sound

Idealized depiction of the larynx

Vocal folds open during active breathing

Inward rotation of arytenoid cartilages

Larynx suspended from hyoid bone and styloid processes

Suspensory muscles of the larynx

The network of throat muscles

Hyoid bone and larynx suspended from styloid processes

Throat suspended from base of the skull

Jaw suspended from temporal bones

The suspensory muscles of the larynx

Throat muscles dragging on the skull

The styloid processes in relation to head balance

Throat muscles pulling the skull down and forward

Free suspension of throat muscles: an open throat

The jaw and its relation to the throat musculature

The three muscle systems attaching to the base of the skull

The three muscle systems in relation to head balance

Oblique muscles of the trunk

Twisting action of the trunk with the head rotating on top

The two basic muscle divisions

The three layers of flexor muscles

Spirals wrapping around the trunk from pelvis to occiput

Opposing spirals from anterior pelvic rim to occiput of skull

Opposing spirals from posterior pelvic rim to mastoid processes of skull

Fish with body swinging from the head

Four-footed animal with head falling forward and body still swinging from the head

Human with counterpoised head and body swinging from the head in the form of two spirals

Double spiral musculature

Winged Victory of Samothrace

The Body in Motion: Its Evolution and Design is based on a series of lectures presented at the Dimon Institute from 19962005. Its purpose is to provide a comprehensive look at our wonderful and unique anatomical design. An earlier series of lectures, published as Anatomy of the Moving Body (North Atlantic Books, 2001), provided a basic introduction to musculoskeletal anatomya working vocabulary of the muscles, bones, and joints that make up the human body.