Locomotion and Movement: Explanation, Types, and Difference

Locomotion and movement are terms that define the ability of things to change position over time. 

• Locomotion is the voluntary movement of an organism from one place to another.
• Walking, running, and swimming are examples of locomotion.
• The method of locomotion varies depending on the location and the need for a specific situation.
• Usually, locomotion is performed when animals look for a place to stay, food, mating, appropriate weather conditions, and to escape predators.
• Movement is a characteristic of all living organisms.
• Movement accounts for the different essential functions in living beings, ranging from protoplasmic movement in a cell and unicellular organisms to organ movement in multicellular organisms.
• Locomotion refers to a movement that results in a change in place.

Key Terms: Locomotion, Movement, Muscular system, Types of muscles, Unicellular organism, Skeletal system, Joints, Bones, Examples of locomotion, Examples of Movement

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Types of Movement

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The different types of movement are

• Amoeboid Movement
• Ciliary Movement
• Muscular Movement

Amoeboid Movement

Some specialized cells in our body, such as macrophages and leukocytes in our blood, show amoeboid movement.

• It is affected by the pseudopodia formed by the protoplasm, as in Amoeba.
• The amoeboid movement also involves Cytoskeletal elements such as microfilaments.

Ciliary Movement

Ciliary movement occurs in many of our tubular internal organs bound by the ciliated epithelium.

• The integrated movement of the cilia in the trachea helps to disperse the dust particles and other foreign substances inhaled with air.
• Transmission of ova through the female reproductive tract is also driven by the ciliary movement.

Muscular Movement

Movement of our eyelids, jaws, hands, legs, etc requires muscular movement.

• The contractile property of muscles is effectively used for locomotion and other movements by human beings and almost all other multicellular organisms.
• A perfectly coordinated activity of muscular, skeletal, and neural systems is essential for muscular movement.

The video below explains this:

Locomotion and Movement Detailed Video Explanation:

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Muscular System

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Muscles are specialized tissues of mesodermal origin.

• They have special properties like elasticity, extensibility, excitability, and contractility.
• Muscles help in body movements and the movement of internal organs as well.
• It helps with stretching, bending, walking, and other physical activities.
• About 40-50 percent of our body weight is contributed by muscles.

Classification of Muscles

There are three types of muscles

• Skeletal Muscles
• Visceral Muscles
• Cardiac Muscles

Skeletal Muscles

Skeletal muscles are made up of muscle bundles (fascicles), which are joined together by collagenous connective tissue called the fascia.

• These are closely related to the skeletal parts of the body that have a striped appearance when viewed under a microscope.
• That is why they are known as striated muscles.
• Locomotory actions and changes in posture involve the use of these muscles.

Visceral Muscles

Visceral muscles are found on the inner walls of hollow visceral structures of the body such as the birth canal, alimentary canal, etc, and do not show striations.

• Because they appear to be smooth, they are called smooth muscles.
• These involuntary muscles facilitate the movement of food through the digestive tract and the movement of gametes through the genital tract.

Cardiac Muscles

Cardiac muscles are the muscles of the heart.

• Many cardiac muscle cells come together in a fusion pattern to form a cardiac muscle.
• Based on the structure of the muscles, cardiac muscles are striated.
• They are involuntary by nature as the nervous system does not control their operations directly.

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Skeletal System

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The skeletal system comprises bones that give shape to the body.

• An adult skeleton consists of 306 bones and a few cartilages.
• Bones and cartilage are specialized connective tissues.
• Cartilages are softer than bones.
• The human skeleton can be divided into the axial skeleton of 80 bones and the appendicular skeleton of 126 bones.

Axial Skeleton

The skull, vertebral column, sternum, and ribs together form the axial system.

• The skull (22 bones) is made up of cranial and facial bones.
• The cranial (8 bones) forms a protection for the brain (cranium).

• The facial area contains 14 bones that form the front part of the skull.

• Hyoid bone (U-shaped) forms the lower part of the buccal cavity.

• The middle ear bones (Malleus, Incus, and Stapes) collectively are called Ear Ossicles.

• The skull connects to the spinal column with two occipital condyles.

• The vertebral column consists of 26 vertebrae.

• The first vertebra is Atlas which connects to the occipital condyle.

• Others include Cervical-7, thoracic -12, lumbar -5, sacral – 1, and coccygeal -1.

• The 12 pairs of ribs are connected back to the spinal column and ventrally to the sternum.

• The 11th and 12th ribs are not connected to the sternum and are called floating ribs.

Appendicular Skeleton

The Appendicular Skeleton includes limb bones and girdles.

• Upper Limb - Humerus, Radius and Ulna, 8-Carpals, 5-Metacarpals, 14-Phalanges.
• Lower Limb - Femur, Tibia, and Fibula, 7-Tarsals, 5-Metatarsals, 14-Phalanges, cup-shaped Patella covering the knee.

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Joints

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Joints are points of junction between bones, or between bones and cartilage.

• Joints are essential for all types of movements.
• They act as fulcums when the force generated by the muscles is used to carry out the movement.

They can be categorized as follows:

1. Fibrous joints - do not allow movement. For example - the bones of a flat skull, eventually merge with the help of compacted tissues that form sutures and eventually form cranium.
2. Cartilaginous joints - the bones here are joined by cartilages. The junction between the vertebrae near the spinal column is a pattern that allows for limited movement.
3. Synovial joints - synovial cavities filled with fluid between articulating surfaces of two bones, allowing for certain movements. Examples include hinge joint, ball and socket joint, etc.

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Disorders of Muscular and Skeletal Systems

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The following are the disorders of muscular and skeletal systems

• Myasthenia gravis- An autoimmune disorder that affects the neuromuscular joints and leads to fatigue, weakness, and skeletal muscle paralysis.
• Muscular dystrophy- A progressive degeneration of skeletal muscle mainly due to genetic disorders.
• Tetany- Rapid spasms in muscles due to low levels of Ca++ in body fluids.
• Arthritis- Inflammation of the joints.
• Osteoporosis- An age-related issue characterized by decreased bone density and increased risk of fracture.
• Gout- Inflammation of the joints as a result of accumulation of uric acid crystals.

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Difference Between Locomotion and Movement

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The following are the differences between locomotion and movement

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Things to Remember

• Locomotion is the voluntary movement of an organism from one place to another. 
• All living organisms show movement which can range from protoplasmic movement in cells or the movement of organs in multicellular organisms.
• Movement can be divided into three types i.e. Amoeboid Movement, Ciliary Movement, and Muscular Movement.
• Muscles can also be divided into three types: Skeletal Muscles, Visceral Muscles, and Cardiac Muscles.
• The skeletal system consists of the following parts namely axis skeleton, appendicular skeleton, upper limbs, and lower limbs.
• There are mainly three kinds of joints: Fibrous joints, cartilaginous joints, and synovial joints.
• Some examples of joint and muscle disorders are Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Gout, Tetany, Muscular Dystrophy, and Myasthenia Gravis.

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