What type of muscle is used to facilitate movement?

Skeletal muscle is the primary type of muscle engaged in facilitating voluntary movement throughout the body. It is attached to bones via tendons, and when it contracts, it produces force that results in the movement of those bones, allowing for actions such as walking, running, and lifting. Skeletal muscle fibers are under conscious control, making it possible to perform precise movements. This muscle type is characterized by its striated appearance, which comes from the organized arrangement of myofibrils and their associated proteins.

While both cardiac and smooth muscles play crucial roles in the body—involuntary movements like heart contractions and the movement of substances through various organs—they are not engaged in voluntary movements of the skeletal system. Additionally, while striated muscle typically refers to skeletal muscle and shares this characteristic with cardiac muscle, it is the skeletal variety that specifically facilitates movement, as it is directly linked to skeletal structure and movement control.