In a serendipitous discovery, UC San Diego researchers using cryo-EM technology captured the first visualizations of the 3-D structure of the muscle acetylcholine receptor in fetal and adult muscles.

Medically reviewed by Katrina Carter, DPT Key Takeaways Voluntary muscles can be controlled by the person, like muscles in your neck and legs. Involuntary muscles work without you thinking about it, ...

Though many people experience muscle twitching, it's often incorrectly identified as a muscle spasm. While both are involuntary contractions of a muscle, muscle spasms and muscle twitching aren't ...

New research has shown one type of muscle contraction is most effective at increasing muscle strength and muscle size -- and rather than lifting weights, the emphasis should be on lowering them. Good ...

At one point or another, we’ve all experienced the unexpected, intense pain of a muscle cramp. Muscle cramps, also known as muscle spasms or charley horses, are the involuntary contraction of muscle ...

Cancer patients often lose excessive amounts of weight. This affects up to 80% of patients and is mainly due to a decrease in ...

Researchers have just made the unexpected discovery of a novel organization of muscle fibers in Parophidion vassali, a fish that lives in the Mediterranean Sea and, like many fish, uses specialized ...

If your fitness goal is to up the ante on endurance, pack more power into your sprint, or supercharge your strength gains in the gym, it’s worth exploring – what are the different muscle fiber types?