Tag: jamie fraser

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Fun Fact: Latissimus Dorsi Redux

Anatomy def: A pair of broad, fan-shaped back muscles; each wraps around the ipsilateral (same side) of chest and inserts into the upper humerus (arm bone). 

Outlander def: Whew! An amazing muscle mass of Jamie’s left armpit (red arrow). For sure, his right armpit has its own latissimus, but Claire is in the way!  <G>

Latissimi dorsi (pl.) form the rear boundary of each armpit (pec major forms each front boundary). Claire appears to be gazing at his left latissimus – and, who isn’t???

Learn about latissimus dorsi in Anatomy Lesson #19, To Arms, Too Arms, Two Arms! 

Today’s FF is the second covering this muscle. The first Latissimus dorsi posted December 2016, used a side view of latissimus dorsi as it angles from lower thoracic and lumbar spine towards the armpit (Outlander ep 106, The Garrison Commander). This broad muscle mass passes diagonally across the side of chest. So, now we view this important muscle from two vantage points.

Each latissimus dorsi is a powerful mover of its humerus:

  • abducts (draws humerus toward the thorax)
  • extends  (draws humerus backwards)
  • internally rotates  (rolls humerus inwards, towards chest) 

Read about Jamie’s armpit ablutions aboard the Artemus in Voyager book.  This lovely passage is from Jamie’s promises to Claire, once he gets her on land, <G>:

“Well, ye might moan a bit, if ye like, to encourage me, but otherwise, ye just lie still.” 

He didn’t sound as though he needed any encouragement whatever. One of his hands was resting on my thigh as he used the other to swab his chest with the damp towel. As he finished, the hand slid behind me, and squeezed. 

“My beloved’s arm is under me,” I quoted. “And his hand behind my head. Comfort me with apples, and stay me with flagons, For I am sick of love.” 

There was a flash of white teeth in his beard. 

“More like grapefruit,” he said, one hand cupping my behind. “Or possibly gourds. Grapefruit are too small.” 

“Gourds?” I said indignantly. 

“Well, wild gourds get that big sometimes,” he said. “But aye, that’s next.” He squeezed once more, then removed the hand in order to wash the armpit on that side. “I lie upon my back and have ye stretched at length upon me, so that I can get hold of your buttocks and fondle them properly.” He stopped washing to give me a quick example of what he thought proper, and I let out an involuntary gasp.

See Jamie’s left latissimus dorsi resting in his armpit in Starz ep 306, A. Malcolm.

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo Credit: Sony/Starz

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Fun Fact: brachialis

Anatomy def: Brachialis is a muscle of the upper arm; covering lower half of humerus (upper arm bone) and ending on ulna (forearm bone), it flexes (bends) the elbow joint.

Outlander def: Brachialis, part and parcel of the big, beautiful bulge on Jamie’s right arm. The Highland Hero’s eye scans the sky for stormy weather. It’s gonna be a bad one – best batten down the hatches!

Learn about brachialis muscle in Anatomy Lesson #20, Arms! Arms! Arms! – Redux!

Contrary to popular opinion, biceps is NOT the most powerful flexor of the elbow joint. This honor goes to – drum roll – brachialis! Believe it or not, brachialis generates roughly 50% more power than biceps during elbow flexion. Truth!

Puir brachialis, lying deep and over shadowed by the honking biceps, it doesn’t get its fair share of attention from muscle builders or Outlander lovers.  

Read about arm muscles in Voyager book. Couldn’t find a quote for Jamie, but there is a splendid one of Claire as she assess her assets, <G> before venturing through the stones once more. Just try to remember —brachialis, that step-sister deep to biceps, performs MOST of the work during elbow flexion!

Dropping the towel, I looked myself over. Flexed my arms, raised them overhead, checking for bagginess. None; biceps and triceps all nicely defined, deltoids neatly rounded and sloping into the high curve of the pectoralis major. I turned slightly to one side, tensing and relaxing my abdominals—obliques in decent tone, the rectus abdominis flattening almost to concavity.

See the impressive bulge created by Jamie’s biceps and brachialis in Starz, Episode 313, Eye of the Storm!

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo Credit: Sony/Starz

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Fun Fact: os nasale

Starz episode 306, A. Malcolm

Anatomy def: The ossa nasale are small paired bones forming the bridge of nose. These support the softer cartilage sides and tip of nose.

Outlander def: Delicate nose bones in peril as arduous sweethearts bump-thump: Jamie’s hard head meets Claire’s delicate bridge of nose. Och! What a memorable moment for the two lovers, underscoring 20 years of absence!!! 

Learn about ossa nasale in Anatomy Lesson #28, Claire’s Nose – The Savvy Sniffer!

Diana’s books are replete with examples of Claire sniffing out all manner of splendors, offenders and defenders! Intact ossa nasale provide the very best nasal architecture for her (and us) to sample odors, smells, scents, aromas, fragrances, reeks, stinks, miasmas, whiffs, flavors, fetors, airs, aurae, stenches and funks. Claire’s savvy sniffer does ‘em all!

Read about Claire’s ossa nasale in Voyager book. The two-decades, long-awaited moment is interrupted with a head-to-nose kebby-lebby!

My nose hit his forehead with a sickening crunch. My eyes watered profusely as I rolled away from him, clutching my face. “Ow!”

“Christ, have I hurt ye, Claire?” Blinking away the tears, I could see his face, hovering anxiously over me. “No,” I said stupidly. “My nose is broken, though, I think.” “No, it isn’t,” he said, gently feeling the bridge of my nose. “When ye break your nose, it makes a nasty crunching sound, and ye bleed like a pig. It’s all right.” 

I felt gingerly beneath my nostrils, but he was right; I wasn’t bleeding. The pain had receded quickly, too. As I realized that, I also realized that he……

Psst….for the rest of this passage,….. read the book! <G>

See Och! See Jamie’s head smack the bridge of Claire’s nose and Claire grip her ossa nasale in Outlander, episode 306, A. Malcolm! Laddie, yer heid is as hard as an iron pot, or so says your sister, Jenny! ?

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo Credit: Sony/Starz