Bone Shapes

• What are the types of bones in the Skeletal System?

  • Long
  • Short
  • Flat
  • Irregular
  • Sesamoid
• Description: Cylindrical in shape (longer than it is wide)

  Long Bone
• Found in the…?

  • Arms - Humorous, Ulna, Radius
  • Legs - Femur, Tibia, Fibula
  • Fingers - Metacarpals, Phalanges
  • Toes - Metatarsals, Phalanges

  Long Bone
• Function: Function as levers; they move when muscles contract.

  Long Bone
• Description: Cube-like in shape (approximately equal in length, width, and thickness)

  Short Bone
• Found in the…

  • Wrists - Carpals
  • Ankles - Tarsals

  Short Bone
• Function: Provide stability and support as well as some limited motion.

  Short Bone
• Description: Typically thin, it is also often curved

  Flat Bones
• Found in the…

  • Skull - Cranial Bones
  • Shoulder Blades - Scapula
  • Breastbone - Sternum
  • Ribs

  Flat Bone
• Function: Serve as points of attachment for muscles and often protect internal organs.

  Flat Bone
• Description: Tend to have more complex shapes

  Irregular Bone
• Found in the...

  • Vertebrae
  • Many facial bones (the ones containing sinuses)

  Irregular Bone
• Description: A small, round bone that, as the name suggests, is shaped like a sesame seed.

  Sesamoid Bone
• Found in the...

  • Found in tendons associated with the feet hands and knees (vary in number and placement)
  • Patella

  Sesamoid Bone
• Function: These bones form in tendons where a great deal of pressure is generated in a joint. Protects tendons by helping them overcome compressive forces.

  Sesamoid Bone