The Skeleton

The Skeleton

If you were to take away all your skin, blood and organs, this is what you would look like. Here is a list of the bones in your body and their common names.

Fingers and toes: Phalenges

Tailbone: Coccyx

Upper arm: Humerus

Lower arm: Radius and Ulna

Collar Bone: Clavicle

Shoulder blades: Scapula

Knee: Patella

Breastbone: Sternum

Hips: Pelvis

Ribcage: Thoracic Cavity

Shin: Tibla

Spine: Vertebral Column

Thigh: Femur

Heel: Calcaneous

Skull: Cranium

Lower jaw: Mandible

Upper jaw: Maxilla

Bones:

How many bones does a human baby have?

Three hundred (300)

How many bones do you and I have?

Two hundred and six (206)

Structure of the long bone

Long bones are bones in your body that are longer than they are wide. Long bones such as the femur and tibia are crucial in order to have skeletal mobility. 

Here is a picture of the structure of a long bone:

What is periosteum?

A dense layer of vascular connective tissue enveloping the bones except at the surfaces of the joints.

Types of joints:

Hinge- Flexion/Extension: Elbow/Knee

Pivot- Rotation of one bone around another: Top of the neck

Ball and Socket- Abduction/Internal and External rotation: Shoulder/Hip

Saddle- Abduction/Circumduction: Joint of the thumb

Condyloid- Abduction/Circumduction: Wrist joints

Gliding- Gliding movements: Intercarpal joints

Whats at the end of moving joints?

Articular cartilage. This is a smooth white tissue that covers the end of the bones where they connect to form joints. It allows the bones to glide over each other with very little friction. Healthy cartilage in our joints makes it easier to move.

Six Functions of the bones

Function 1: Support-bones form the framework of the body and contribute to the shape, alignment and positioning of the body parts.
Function 2: Protection- Bones protect the delicate structures they enclose
Function 3: Movement- Bones with their joints constitute levers that move as muscles and contract.
Function 4: Mineral storage- Bones are the major reservoir for calcium, phosphorus and other minerals. 
Function 5: Hematopoiesis- blood cell formation is carried out by myeloid tissue.
Function 6: Storage- Can carry only a small amount of fat, but still can be useful.