Throughout his life, a person experiences various physical activities. It can be both professional strength exercises, and just accompanying loads that occur in various life situations.
During physical exertion, the muscles that are involved in the work process increase. This happens due to an increase in the fibers that make up the muscle. Muscle fiber can be the entire length of the muscle, or maybe shorter. The muscle fiber consists of a large number of contractile elements - myofibrils. Inside each element are even smaller elements - myofiaments actin and myosin. And due to these elements, muscle contraction occurs.
With regular weight lifting, muscle fibers increase, this will be muscle hypertrophy.
Muscle hypertrophy - an increase in muscle mass due to the "growth" of muscle fibers.
Most often, muscle hypertrophy is present in athletes involved in bodybuilding. Since this sport is aimed at improving your body with the help of power loads, high-calorie nutrition and taking various anabolic drugs. As a result, a pronounced muscle relief is formed on the body, that is, muscle hypertrophy occurs.
The processes that occur in the muscles during exercise
The basis of the structure of the human body is protein, it is present in all its tissues. Therefore, changes in muscle tissue depend on the synthesis and catabolism of protein in the tissue.
With constant physical exertion, skeletal muscle hypertrophy occurs. When the body is under stress, the content of contractile proteins in the corresponding muscles increases . However, as it has been scientifically established, during physical effects on the body, protein synthesis is suspended, and catabolism is activated in the first minutes of the recovery process. Thus, muscle hypertrophy occurs due to the activation of protein synthesis, and not due to a decrease in the rate of protein breakdown at a constant level of protein synthesis intensity.
Skeletal muscle hypertrophy
The muscle tissue of a person performs motor functions, and it forms skeletal muscles. The main task that skeletal muscles perform is contractility, which occurs due to a change in the length of the muscle when exposed to nerve impulses. Using his muscles, a person can "move". Each muscle performs “its” specific action, it can work only in one specific direction when acting on the joint. To ensure the movement of the joint around its axis, a pair of muscles are present, present on both sides with respect to the joint.
The strength of a muscle is determined by the number and thickness of the fibers that are present in the muscle. They make up the anatomical diameter of the muscle (the area of the transverse section of the muscle, made perpendicular to its length).
There is also such an indicator as the physiological diameter (transverse section of the muscle, perpendicular to its fibers).
The magnitude of the physiological diameter affects muscle strength. The larger the physiological diameter, the greater the strength will be inherent in the muscle.
During physical exertion, the diameter of the muscle increases, this is called working muscle hypertrophy.
Working muscle hypertrophy is present when an increase in muscle fiber volume occurs. With a strong thickening of the fibers, splitting into several new fibers with a common tendon can occur. Working hypertrophy occurs in healthy people with enhanced function of a person’s tissue or organ. For example, this is hypertrophy of human skeletal muscles.
Causes of muscle hypertrophy
Muscle hypertrophy, in most cases, is caused by regular exercise. However, the amount of calories consumed also affects the increase in muscle mass. If calories are not enough, a large amount of muscle cannot be achieved.
Accompany the achievement of the required muscle volume, that is, there is muscle hypertrophy, reasons based on such principles:
- A constant load is required on all types of muscles, the volume of which needs to be increased.
- The load time is selected individually. Do not adhere to standards. It is necessary to engage as much as the body allows, but not to the point of exhaustion.
- Do not cause depletion of the nervous system, work concentrated, calmly and judiciously.
- In the initial stages of training, muscle pain may appear, but this should not be an excuse to suspend exercise.
There should also be a full and balanced diet, a plentiful drink to maintain the body's water balance.
Chewing muscle enlargement
Due to the "extra" movements of the jaw hypertrophy of the masticatory muscles may appear. The lower jaw of a person is pressed to the upper due to masticatory muscles. They consist of two parts and are located on both sides of the jaw. The muscle begins at the lower edge of the zygomatic arch and ends at the outer surface of the lower branch.
Hypertrophy of the masticatory muscles causes a disturbance in the harmonious visual combination of the upper and lower parts of the face, and also causes pain in the masticatory muscles. The face becomes “square” or extended to the bottom. Muscle hypertrophy occurs due to an increase in the load on them.
Chewing muscle hypertrophy can provoke:
- bruxism - gnashing of teeth;
- constantly tightened jaws, up to erasing teeth;
- chewing muscle pain.
Chewing muscle correction
With hypertrophy of the masticatory muscles, a person has a disproportion in facial features. In this case, a constant pain syndrome in the jaw area may also be present. To correct this imbalance, a person must consult a specialist to receive medical treatment. In order for muscle hypertrophy to pass, treatment must begin on time.
When treating the chewing muscle, in three to four places, a special drug is introduced that relaxes the muscle and causes local muscle relaxation. After a few days, an effect is visible that will last about six months.
Hypertrophy of the heart muscle
There are cases when there is a pathological enlargement of the heart, mainly due to an increase in the thickness of the heart muscle - myocardium.
Hypertrophy of the left heart is more common than the right.
Hypertrophy of the heart can occur with:
- congenital or acquired heart defects;
- hypertension
- intense physical exertion;
- metabolic disorders, including obesity;
- sharp loads when a sedentary lifestyle is being conducted.
Symptoms of heart muscle hypertrophy
Minor hypertrophy of the heart muscle does not cause any changes in the well-being of a person and may go unnoticed. The larger the stage of the disease, the more pronounced the symptoms of the disease. One of the best options for diagnosing a disease is an ultrasound scan of the heart.
The presence of this disease can be assumed by the presence of such symptoms:
- difficult to breathe, breathing is difficult;
- chest pains;
- fast fatiguability;
- unstable heart rate.
High blood pressure can provoke ventricular hypertrophy. The heart begins to work faster, the blood in the heart begins to press harder on the walls, thereby expanding and enlarging the heart and reducing the elasticity of the walls. This leads to the inability of the heart to work in the same mode.
Heart hypertrophy treatment
At the initial stage, cardiac hypertrophy is amenable to medical treatment. Diagnosis is carried out in order to identify the cause that provoked the development of hypertrophy, and its elimination begins. If, for example, the disease has developed due to a sedentary lifestyle and excess weight, then a person is assigned small physical activities and his diet is adjusted. Foods are introduced in accordance with the principles of healthy eating.
If ventricular hypertrophy has reached large sizes, surgery is performed and the hypertrophic area is removed.
Amyotrophy
Hypertrophy and muscle atrophy are opposite concepts in meaning. If hypertrophy means an increase in muscle mass, then atrophy means its decrease. The fibers that make up the muscle, which do not receive a load for a long time, become thinner, their number decreases and in severe cases they can disappear altogether.
Various negative processes in the human body, both hereditary and acquired, can cause muscle atrophy. It could be, for example:
- metabolic disease;
- a consequence of endocrine diseases;
- complication after an infectious disease;
- intoxication of the body;
- enzyme deficiency;
- long postoperative rest of muscles.
Muscle atrophy treatment
The effectiveness of treatment depends on what stage the disease is at. If the changes in the muscles are significant, they cannot be fully restored. The cause of muscle atrophy is diagnosed and appropriate medication is prescribed. In addition to drug treatment, it is recommended that:
- physiotherapy;
- physiotherapy;
- electrotherapy.
To maintain muscle tone, massage is prescribed, which should be done regularly.
Treatment is aimed at stopping destructive actions in the muscles, relieving symptoms and improving metabolic processes in the body.
Be sure to have a good nutrition with all the necessary vitamin elements.
Conclusion
Thus, we can conclude that in order to obtain hypertrophy of skeletal muscles, significant physical effort is required. If this is done to achieve a beautiful body with pronounced muscle mass, then a person will need to perform regular strength exercises. Moreover, his diet should be built on the principles of proper nutrition.
However, there is a possibility of getting unwanted muscle hypertrophy, which poses a threat to human health, this is: hypertrophy of the heart muscle and chewing muscles. In most cases, the appearance of these diseases is associated with deviations and impaired functioning of the human body. Therefore, timely diagnosis and control of your health is necessary to prevent the onset and development of the disease.
A healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition will help a person stay in good shape and avoid possible health problems.