If a muscle is under voluntary control, it means that the muscle can be consciously controlled by a person. The person can decide when and how to move that muscle using their free will. These muscles are mostly skeletal muscles that attach to bones and are responsible for body movements like lifting, walking, or smiling. Voluntary muscles contract based on signals from the somatic nervous system, which sends nerve impulses from the brain to these muscles, allowing intentional movement.
Key Characteristics of Voluntary Muscles
- Controlled deliberately by conscious thought and will.
- Mostly skeletal muscles attached to bones via tendons.
- Enable purposeful movement of body parts.
- Striated in appearance under a microscope.
- Require nerve stimuli from the somatic nervous system to contract.
- Are capable of rapid contraction and relaxation but tire quickly.
Thus, voluntary control refers to the ability to move a muscle intentionally rather than it moving automatically or reflexively.
