Chapter 5

Musculoskeletal System
The skeletal system
The human skeleton consists of two main parts:
The axial skeleton-(vertebral column, skull and rib cage)
Appendicular skeleton-(upper and lower limbs)
Hard and rigid, but flexible as well
Bone are attached to one another by ligaments and
cartilage
Functions of the human skeleton
Protects and supports internal structures and organs of the body(e.g, the heart
and lungs are situated in the rib cage and the spinal cord is enclosed by the
vertebral column)
Muscles and bones work together to form an effective system for movement
Human body has a specific shape supported by the skeleton
Blood cells are produced in the red and yellow bone marrow found in the of
larger bones(long bones) of the skeleton
Bone cells consist of a large amount of calcium and phosphorus
Skeletal muscles
Skeletal muscles- muscles that cause movement of the
skeleton when they contract
Cardiac muscles- muscles that cause the heart to
contract
Smooth muscles- muscles in the lining of the digestive
canal
Tendons- when two ends of a skeletal muscle are
connected to different bones(usually a joint between
the two bones)
Disorders of the musculoskeletal system
Arthritis:
A condition characterised by joint inflammation or
swelling
Affects the joints and the tissues surrounding the
affected joints and other connective tissue
Osteorarthritis:
Degenerative joint disease
Happens when the cartilage that forms a cushion
between the bones in the joints, starts to break down
People experience severe pain and reduced mobility in
their joints
Can affect any joint in the body
Rickets:
A condition that affects bone development in children
Causes the bones to become painful, soft and
malformed(can lead to bone deformities)
Osteomalacia(soft bones)- rickets in adults
Most common cause is a lack of vitamin D and calcium
Vitamin D is found in foods like oily fish, eggs and from
sunlight on our skin