Movement is the change in the position of a body part with respect to the whole body. It is one of the significant features of all living beings. The blinking of the eyes, breathing, eating are all examples of movement. So we can say that every second some or the other part of our body exhibits some or other kind of movements.
The human body movements get polished as we grow in age. The movement starts from crawling and with the increase in age the person starts walking leading to the movement of the whole organism.
These movements are possible because of joints. Joints are points in our body where two or more parts of our skeleton are connected together. Different joints help our body carry out different activities and movements.
Listed below are a few types of joints and their functions:
Types of Joints
|Name Of The Joint||Part Of Body Where Found||Function|
|Ball and Socket Joint||Hip area, joint of the shoulder||The rounded end of one bone fits into the cavity of the other bone. It allows movements in all directions|
|Pivotal Joint||Joins the head and neck||Allows the head to swivel around|
|Hinge Joint||Elbow||Allows back and forth movement|
|Fixed Joint||Bones in head held with fixed joints||Help keep bones intact and provides structure|
- All bones in our body form a framework and provide shape to our body. This framework is called a skeleton.
- Our hand is made up of several small bones called Carpals.
- Chest bones and backbone together form the ribcage. We have 12 ribs on each side of our chest. Our backbone consists of 33 small, disk-like bones called vertebrae. Rib Cage protects the internal parts of our body and provides a definite structure.
- Bones in the shoulder are called shoulder bones and bones in the abdominal region are called pelvic bones.
- Skull is made up of many bones which are fused together. It protects our brain. Cartilages are also part of our skeletal system and joints of the body. Unlike bones, they are soft and flexible.
- Muscles are subjected to contraction and relaxation and work in pairs
Also Read: Types of Joints
Types of Body Movements
The body movements in humans are of the following types:
- Lateral Flexion
- Transverse Abduction
- Transverse Adduction
- RotationLateral Rotation
- Medial Rotation
Some type of movements result in the change of place, they are termed as locomotion. Walking, cycling. running, and swimming is some of the locomotory movements.
There are different types of locomotory movements in different organisms like paramecium have cilia which help in capturing food and also in locomotion. Hydra has tentacles for capturing prey and for locomotion. We use our limbs for different types of body movements. Locomotion is necessary for food, shelter etc.
Some cells of our body like the white blood cells exhibit amoeboid movement. Cytoskeletons and microfilaments are also involved in this type of movement.
Some of our internal tubular organs exhibit ciliary movement. Cilia are present in our trachea which helps in removing foreign particles, dust etc. The movement of ova in the female reproductive tract is also a type of ciliary movement.
Whenever we move, our limbs are involved. They are the muscular movements. In locomotion and other types of body movements in humans, the contractile property of the muscles is used.
Movements involve perfect coordination of the muscular, skeletal and neural system. There are a variety of muscles and joints involved in movements.
Also Read: Locomotion
Body Movement In Other Animals
Body Movement In Earthworm
- Earthworms do not have bones but are made up of several rings joined end to end.
- It is able to shorten and extend its body with the help of muscles
- It is able to move through the soil as a result of repeated contractions and expansions
- Excretes a slimy substance which aids its movement
- It has many tiny bristles projecting out which are connected with muscles enabling them to get a good grip
Body Movement In Snail
The outer skeleton is called the shell. It is not made up of bones and does not help in movement. The body consists of a head and a thick structure projecting out of the shell, which is the foot. It is made up of strong muscles. Their motion is wavy.
Body Movement In Cockroach
- They have three pairs of legs and can walk, climb, fly. The body is covered with a hard exoskeleton. The exoskeleton is made up of a number of plates joined together
- They have 2 pairs of wings attached to the body. They have muscles too which helps them move when they fly.
Body Movement In Fish
The tail and head of a fish are smaller as compared to the middle portion. They are said to have a streamlined body which allows the fish to gain motion and swim.
Body Movement In Birds
The hollow bones and the strong muscular system helps the birds during flight. A bird flaps its wings while flying.
Also Read: Difference Between Locomotion and Movement
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