Why? The Science of Athletics

LESSONS FROM FACIAL EXPRESSiON 49 affected. The fatty .tissue in which the eye is set is easily compressed, and, since it is filled with delicate little blood vessels which are readily suffused, it is to protect these blood– vessels that the athlete contracts the muscle above the eye. There is a circular muscle surrounding the eye ; it is like a string round the neck of a bag and protects the eye by screwing it up and closing, or partly closing, the lids. There is also a small muscle which draws the eyebrow up and in. It. is the tensing of these muscles to protect the small vessels within the orbit and the eyeball which creates the expression of pain which so often characterizes the expression of a person making a violent effort. The furious expression of the mouth is due to the fact that the athlete clenches his teeth to provide a fixed support to the muscles passing from the chest to the chin. Violent effort, equally with violent respiration, draws the lips back and down by the action of the big muscle that comes down the neck, the platysma myoides. In the case of certain violent efforts, such as throwing the javelin, the great skin muscle of the neck contracts, and draws down the lower lip to show the clenched teeth, the expression of ferocity being still further empha– sized by the more pronounced retraction of the upper lip. :ifwo things are typical of expressions due to violent effort, one is the clenching of the teeth, the other is the crinkling and partial closing of the eyes. Throwers, in fact, not infrequently close their eyes completely at the instant of delivery, and sprinters, doubtless, would do the same, but for the fact that instinct warns them to watch where they are running. Fig. 2, Plate 1, shows a young athlete for the first time taking a hurdle higher than he had before attempted, and it will be seen that his eyes are completely closed. _ Between the expression engendered by intense violent e.ffort and the expressions of rage and fury there is but little distinction. The main characteristics of the athlete's expression are the down-drawn brows, closed, or partly closed, screwed-up eyes, the clenched teeth, the veins D