Applied anatomy and physiology

• The skeletal system provides a framework for muscle attachment, to enable movement for physical activity
• Functions of the skeleton

  • Production of blood cells
  • Storage of minerals
  • Protection of vital organs
  • Muscle attachment
  • Formation of joints for movement
• The skeleton provides protection for vital organs, including the heart
• The following types of blood cell are produced in bone marrow: Platelets help clotting if you are cut, Red blood cells transport oxygen to working muscles, White blood cells help fight infection
• Calcium and phosphorus are stored in bones to help strengthen them
• Bones act as levers


  Levers allow the body to increase the force it can generate or increase the speed of the movement
• Long bones


  • Aid movement by working as levers
• Examples of long bones

  • the humerus
  • the femur
• Flat bones


  • Provide protection and a broad surface for muscles to attach to
• Examples of flat bones

  • the cranium
  • the ribs
  • the scapula
• Short bones


  • Are weight bearing and provide support
• Examples of short bones

  • the carpals
  • the tarsals
• Irregular bones


  • Provide protection and a place for muscle attachment
• The vertebrae are irregular bones
• The skeleton is made up of many bones
• The vertebral column has five regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, coccyx
• The radius is the bone near the thumb
• Ball and socket joint


  Located at the hip and shoulder, allows movements of flexion, extension, rotation, circumduction, abduction, adduction
• Hinge joint


  Located at the knee, elbow, and ankle, allows movements of flexion and extension
• Pivot joint


  Located at the neck (atlas and axis), allows rotation
• Condyloid joint


  Located at the wrist, allows movements of flexion, extension, and circumduction
• Flexion


  The angle at a joint decreases, the bones move closer together
• Extension


  The angle at a joint increases, the bones move away from each other
• Abduction


  Movement of a limb away from the midline of the body
• Adduction


  Movement of a limb towards the midline of the body
• Rotation


  Movement where the bone at a joint moves around its own axis, making a circular movement
• Circumduction


  Movement in the shape of a cone, allows 360 degrees of movement, occurs at ball and socket joints
• Plantar-flexion


  Movement of the foot downwards when pointing the toes, occurs at the ankle joint
• Dorsi-flexion


  Movement of the foot upwards towards the shin, decreasing the angle at the ankle joint
• Ligaments


  Tough connective tissue that joins bone to bone to form a joint
• Ligaments


  • Help keep joints stable
  • Prevent unwanted movement that might cause an injury, such as a dislocation when playing sport
• Tendons


  Tough connective tissue that joins (skeletal) muscle to bone
• Tendons


  • Hold the muscle to the bone, so that when the muscle contracts the muscle can pull on the bone and cause movement at joints
• Muscle types


  • Cardiac muscle
  • Involuntary muscles
  • Voluntary muscles
• Cardiac muscle


  Forms the heart, is unconsciously controlled - we do not have to think to make it contract
• Involuntary muscles


  Found in blood vessels (and the stomach and intestines), contract slowly and rhythmically and are unconsciously controlled - they contract automatically when required to by the body
• Voluntary muscles


  Skeletal muscles that attach via tendons to the skeleton to allow movement, under conscious control - we move them when we want to
• Tendons join muscle to bone and ligaments join bone to bone
• Voluntary muscle


  • Deltoid
• Cardiac muscle


  • Heart