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Unit 8 Assignment A - Musculoskeletal Disorders
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Assignment AUnit 8
Musculoskeletal Disorders
The musculoskeletal system is a system designed to provide the body with stability,
movement and shape. It has 2 systems within it:
● Muscular system: These consist of the muscles attached to the skeleton and its
joints. It also consists of tendons. They are used for maintaining posture.
● Skeletal System: This is about the bones. They come together to form the joints and
are able to provide movement to the body.
There are also disorders relating to these systems, which will be talked about in further
detail.
The Skeletal System
Containing 206 bones, the skeletal system consists of the axial skeleton, the lower
appendicular skeleton and upper appendicular skeleton.
● The axial skeleton: The axial skeleton consists of bones such as the skull, vertebral
column, rib cage, maxilla, mandible and sternum.
There are ‘80 individual bones’ (K. Rogers, 2023.)¹1.
They are essential in protecting organs such as the
lungs and heart, the brain and the spinal cord, they
also provide cushioning and support to these organs.
Without these bones, these vital structures of the body
would be vulnerable to damage and therefore you’d be
more susceptible to death and serious injury.
● The appendicular skeleton (upper and lower): The
upper appendicular skeleton consists of the clavicle,
scapula, humerus ulna and radius, and the hand.
Whereas the lower appendicular skeleton consists of
the femur, patella, pelvic girdle, the tibia and fibula and
the foot. They attach to the axial skeleton and are
mostly where the long bones within the body are Figure 1 - Diagram of the
located.
Bone tissue consists of a ‘mineralised bone matrix’ (G, Sendić. 2015.)², which consists of
collagen. There are 3 types of specialised bone cells, being osteoblasts, osteoclasts and
osteocytes. Compact bone gives the bone a smoother appearance, and is covered by
periosteum, a connective tissue, it accounts for 80% of the mass of the bone. And spongy
bone is home to the bone marrow, in bones like the hip bones, it appears like honeycomb
and accounts for 20% of the mass of bone.
1 Rogers, Kara. “Axial Skeleton | Anatomy.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Sept. 2023, www.britannica.com/science/axial-skeleton.
² Sendić, Gordana . “Musculoskeletal System.” Kenhub, Kenhub, 4 May 2015, www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/the-musculoskeletal-system.
, The types of bones can be classified, this can depend on the shape of the bones, and size.
Long bones within the body are vital in aiding movement
and stability as well as supporting weight. Usually, they
consist of compact bone, with the ends containing bone
marrow and sponge-like bone. An example of a long-bone
would be the femur, in the thigh. This consists of a proximal
epiphysis at the top, the diaphysis in the middle and the
distal epiphysis at the bottom (as shown in Figure 2), there
are yellow and red marrow. Red marrow can specialise to
transform into blood platelets, or red or white blood cells.
Whereas, yellow marrow specialises to be fat, cartilage or
other bone cells. Other examples would be the humerus
and ulna.
Flat bones have the ability and role to protect internal Figure 2 - Showing the
organs of the body. They appear thin, flat and curved. They features of a long bone.
are structured to be mainly layers of compact bone,
surrounded by spongy bone. Examples of flat bones would
be the majority of the skull bones, the sternum and the sacrum.
Short bones provide movement and stability, as they are usually the tarsal and carpal bones
(found in the wrists and ankles). They consist of a single layer of compact bone, encased
with spongy bone. They typically have a cube-like shape.
Sesamoid bones are contained within tendons. They are effective at preventing wear and
tear, as they are able to increase the tolerance for impact along the joints as they cross over
them. They are usually small and rounded. The largest one is the patella, or the knee caps.
Irregular bones have no consistent shape or size, they are used for protecting specific
organs, such as the pelvis, used for protecting the reproductive system, and other bones
such as the vertebral bones.
There are further functions of the bones, such as metabolic purposes, which store important
minerals mainly consisting of calcium and phosphorus. This makes bones crucial as it allows
the body to regulate its levels of calcium by adjusting bone reabsorption rates. The bone
marrow, as mentioned, is the site of hematopoiesis, or the creation of new blood cells.
The Muscular System
Within our body, muscles provide a lot of functions such as breathing, movement and eating.
Within our body the muscle tissues have 3 different types of classifications: smooth, skeletal
and cardiac.
Smooth muscle A non-striated muscle (having no
streaks/strips). It is found within the walls of
blood vessels and organs. They have many
uses, such as the ability to contribute to our
digestive system (being in the stomach and
intestines), and ridding the body of toxins in
the urinary tract. These muscles contract
involuntarily, therefore under the control of
the autonomic nervous system.
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