NACC PSW Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Skeletal muscle is classified as striated and voluntary due to its distinct characteristics. Striated muscle fibers have a banded appearance under microscopic examination, which results from the orderly arrangement of actin and myosin filaments, responsible for muscle contraction.

The term "voluntary" indicates that skeletal muscle is under conscious control; individuals can decide when to contract these muscles, which is essential for activities such as walking, running, and lifting objects. This contrasts with cardiac muscle, which is also striated but involuntary, functioning automatically to pump blood. Similarly, both smooth and visceral muscles are classified as involuntary and lack striations, performing tasks such as moving food through the digestive tract or regulating blood vessel diameter without conscious thought. The unique combination of striations and voluntary control makes skeletal muscle distinct among the different types of muscle tissue.