What is the Difference Between Voluntary and Involuntary Muscles?

The main difference between voluntary and involuntary muscles lies in the control they receive from the nervous system. Here are the key differences between the two types of muscles:

Voluntary Muscles:
Also known as skeletal or striated muscles.
Under conscious control, allowing movement of body parts and locomotion of the body.
Involved in moving body parts and the locomotion of the body.
Examples include muscles in hands, arms, legs, and other parts of the body that can be consciously controlled.
Involuntary Muscles:
Comprise two types: smooth muscles and cardiac muscles.
Not under conscious control, contracting and relaxing automatically.
Involved in internal movements of organs, aiding the passage of fluids and food in the digestive system.
Examples include the diaphragm, pharynx, abdominal wall, tongue muscles, muscles of the middle ear, and muscles underneath the skin.

In summary, voluntary muscles can be controlled by our conscious thought, while involuntary muscles function automatically without conscious control. Voluntary muscles are responsible for the movement and locomotion of the body, while involuntary muscles manage internal movements and organ functions.

On this page

What is the Difference Between Voluntary and Involuntary Muscles?

Comparative Table: Voluntary vs Involuntary Muscles

Here is a table comparing the differences between voluntary and involuntary muscles:

Feature	Voluntary Muscles	Involuntary Muscles
Also known as	Striated muscles or skeletal muscles	Nonstriated muscles or smooth muscles
Location	Attached to bones by tendons	Lining the walls of internal organs (e.g., stomach, intestine, urinary bladder) and blood capillaries
Shape of the cell	Cylindrical, long, and unbranched	Spindle-shaped and small
Number of nuclei	Multinucleated	Uninucleated
Control	Under voluntary control of the somatic nervous system	Not under voluntary control and governed by the autonomic nervous system
Examples	Biceps, triceps, quadriceps, diaphragm, pectoral muscles, abdominals, hamstrings	Cardiac muscle (found in the heart), smooth muscle lining the blood vessels, urogenital tracts, respiratory tract
Function	Movement of body parts and locomotion	Internal movements of organs, aiding the passage of fluids and food in the digestive system
Contraction and relaxation	Rapid compared to involuntary muscles, but tire quickly and require rest	Slower compared to voluntary muscles and can maintain continuous contraction for extended periods
Energy supply	Possess multiple mitochondria to meet the energy needs for contraction and relaxation	Require less energy compared to voluntary muscles

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.