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What Do You Really Know About Your Muscles?

It’s time to test the strength of your knowledge on muscles

Constance Sommer

En español

Published January 28, 2022

9 Questions

d28da076-71d5-43c9-823c-8fb6b064c687

What Do You Really Know About Your Muscles?

[ {
  "question" : "How many different types of muscles are there in the body?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "1",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "3",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "5",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "10",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Skeletal muscles attach to our bones by tendons or to our face by skin. Smooth muscles are the involuntary muscles that make up the intestines, blood vessels, the uterus and the internal muscles of the eye. Then there’s cardiac muscle, the forceful, involuntary muscle that keeps our heart beating.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "The hardest-working muscle in the body is the…",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Gluteus maximus",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "The masseter",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "The heart",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "The tongue",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "The heart pumps out about 2 ounces of blood at every beat, according to the Library of Congress — that’s at least 2,500 gallons of blood a day.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "You’re moving houses and lift a box so heavy that you actually tear a muscle. This is a…",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Sprain",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Strain",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Either/or — they’re just two names for the same thing.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "A strain is what happens when you injure (overstretch or tear) a muscle or a tendon, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases explains.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "What is the name for the process of losing muscle mass as you age?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Osteoporosis",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Sarcopenia",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Sarcoma",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Sarcopenia causes weakness and will make you walk more slowly. It may increase your risk of falls and can cause difficulty with daily activities like bathing or dressing, says Greg Hartley, an associate professor of clinical physical therapy at the University of Miami.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "We begin to lose muscle mass in our…",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "30s",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "40s",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "50s",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "60s",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "We lose as much as 3 to 5 percent per decade once we hit our 30s. But muscle mass can be rebuilt through exercise, particularly strength training, Hartley says.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Losing muscle mass can also lead to…",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "A weaker throwing arm",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "A nutrient deficiency",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Balance issues",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Balance issues increase a person’s risk of falling and can affect one’s ability to live independently.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "The best way to prevent physical decline due to loss of muscle mass is…",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "There isn't a way to prevent it",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Eat a high-calorie diet",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Use your muscles",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "“With muscles, it really is use it or lose it,” says David Marquez, associate professor of kinesiology and nutrition at the University of Illinois, Chicago. So keep working out, but keep challenging your body. If you do the same workouts over and over and don’t push yourself even a bit, “you’re going to lose strength.”",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "What should you eat to keep your muscles strong and healthy?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Protein, protein and more protein",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Green leafy vegetables",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Whole grains",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "All of the above",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Muscles need protein, and it’s important to give it to them, Marquez says. But “you can create a toxic situation in your body if you overdo it on the protein,” he explains. “It’s got to be part of a balanced diet.”",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Great, I got the message. Now, how do I get stronger?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Walk more.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Swim more.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Bike more.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Start weight training (also called resistance or strength training).",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Walking, biking and swimming are great for your overall health, but strength-specific exercises are also crucial, according to the National Institutes of Health. If you’ve never lifted weights before, consider consulting your health care provider first.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

Quiz Progress

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