Skeleton Essay

The human body is made up from a total of 206 bones. These bones contribute to the skeleton, the internal framework of the body. The skeleton is divided into two different structures; the Axial skeleton and the Appendicular skeleton.

The Axial skeleton gives the human body posture; it’s made up from 80 bones, consisting of the Skull, Sternum, Vertebrae and the Ribs. (In red)

The Appendicular skeleton gives the body the ability to move, and it protects the major organs. It’s made up from a total of 126 bones, including the shoulder girdle (scapular and clavicle), pelvic girdle, upper and lower limbs. (In white)

There are different types of bones in the body- long, short, flat, irregular, sesamoid.

Long bones- Cylindrical in shape, found in

Short bones include Carpals and calcaneus.

Flat bones- Strong, flat plates of bone, protection for internal organs. Flat bones include sternum, cranium and pelvis.

Sesamoid bones- The patella, it’s found in a tendon. It eases joint movement and resists friction and compression.

Irregular bones- They are complex individual shapes, it protects and acts as a muscle attachment. Irregular bones include Vertebrae and face. The vertebral column consists of 34 bones, and is divided into 5 sections:

• Cervical- Contains 7 bones, is found at the very top of your spine and it supports the head and neck. The atlas allows head to move up and down, then the axis allows the head to rotate.

• Thoracic- Ribs are attached to the thoracic vertebrae, giving vital organs a protective cage. It allows you to bend slightly in all directions. It consists of 12 different bones

• Lumbar- Allows lots of flexibility, however it is prone to injury, it consists of 5 bones.

• Sacrum- The 5 bones are all fused together, it’s a strong base and transmits force from legs to upper body.

• Coccyx- Consists of 4 bones fused together and has no specific

The muscular and skeletal systems work together to enable body movement and stability, this is called the musculoskeletal system. When muscles contract, they pull on bones of the skeleton to produce movement or hold the bones in a stable position. The shape of the bones and how they fit together at the joints allows for different types of movement. For example, the leg bones come together at the knee to form a hinge joint that enables the knee to bend back and forth. Whereas, your shoulder can move freely, meaning it has a ball and socket