Skeletal System Paper

This paper explores the human skeletal system including its purpose, structure, and the common diseases and disorders that affect it. The human skeleton has a unique design meant to provide structural support and act as a reservoir for minerals in the body. The paper also expounds on the components of the skeletal system such as the axial and appendicular skeletal systems. The axial skeletal system is tasked with supporting the head, neck, and trunk. It is composed of the cranium, vertebral column, the rib cage, and the thoracic cage. The appendicular skeletal system, on the other hand, is composed of the limbs, upper and lower parts of the body like the femur, carpals, tarsals, and humerus. The body’s hardest parts are components of the skeletal

system, and as outlined in the paper, movement of these rigid regions is aided by the presence of joints. Joints are essential parts of the skeletal system for they allow varying mobility designs at different locations and angles.

The Skeletal System
The Role of the Skeletal System
Functions of the human skeleton are essential for survival for it gives the body its shape, strength and support. The frame prevents the buildup of pressure on the organs thus creating an environment where they can function properly (Kenney, 2016). Also, it protects delicate organs like the heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver in areas like the rib cage and skull from external shocks.
Furthermore, bones act as leverage for movement since they are held together by ligaments and tendons which anchor the muscles to the bones of the skeleton. The larger bones of the skeleton are also involved in the production of blood cells in the red and yellow bone marrow.
Organs in the Skeletal System
The skeletal system is a connective tissue comprising of organs like bones, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.
Functioning of the Skeletal System Together with Other Body Systems
The skeletal system functions with the central nervous system by surrounding its organs like the brain thus safeguarding the delicate nerve tissues from trauma.

It also functions with the muscular system in that contraction of the skeletal muscles requires that they are attached to something at each end so as to have support which in this case is a bone. Thirdly, the skeletal system functions with the hematological system during manufacture of new blood cells in the bone marrow (Pietschmann, 2016). Any defect in the skeletal system has a direct effect on the hematological system. Lastly, the skeletal system acts to maintain a balance of calcium in the body. It acts as a storage unit where excess calcium in the blood is stored and also from where the body can get extra calcium when its level falls in the blood.

Common Diseases and Disorders of the Skeletal System

Disorders of the skeletal system cause bone deformities and in the long run affect mobility. Among the disorders is arthritis which is the inflammation of movable joints and characterized by pain, swelling, and joint stiffness. The condition can also lead to the destruction of the capsule surrounding tissues and the bones (Tamparo, 2016). Another type of anomaly is osteoporosis which is a condition that occurs in older adults due to their bones becoming weak. It is as a result of lack of synthesis of sufficient bone tissue with calcium deficit being a precursor from primary cancer to the bones as in leukemia.

Facts about the Skeletal

System
Observing the skeletal system, it is evident that the only bone lacking a joint is the hyoid bone in the throat. It is also a fact that the smallest bones in the body are found in the ear. Besides, adults tend to have 206 bones while infants have 300 which reduce as they grow (to the condition. Bone cancer is also a disorder of the skeletal system occurring as a result of metastasis Brett, 2015). Lastly, the female pelvis is more rounded, flatter and larger than a man’s pelvis. Effects of Social and Environment Factors on the Skeletal System
Environmental factors that could be injurious to the skeletal system include doing heavy work like manually loading and offloading trucks. This strenuous activity could affect the bones by exerting too much stress on them thus weakening them. Social factors on the other hand like working out in a gym has an effect more so on the spine if the activity involves lifting heavy weights.