What is an insertion point?

What is an insertion point?

• A. Attachment to a joint
• B. Attachment to an immovable bone
• C. Attachment to a tendon
• D. Attachment to a moveable bone

Answer: (D)

An insertion point is where a muscle attaches to the bone that moves when the muscle contracts. When the muscle shortens, it pulls on this end toward the other end, producing movement at a joint. The end that stays relatively fixed is the origin, while the end that moves is the insertion, usually on the moveable bone. The tendon is the connective tissue linking the muscle to bone, not the insertion site itself, and attaching to an immovable bone wouldn’t produce movement. So the key idea is that the insertion is the attachment on the bone that moves.

An insertion point is where a muscle attaches to the bone that moves when the muscle contracts. When the muscle shortens, it pulls on this end toward the other end, producing movement at a joint. The end that stays relatively fixed is the origin, while the end that moves is the insertion, usually on the moveable bone. The tendon is the connective tissue linking the muscle to bone, not the insertion site itself, and attaching to an immovable bone wouldn’t produce movement. So the key idea is that the insertion is the attachment on the bone that moves.