It consists of bones and other connective tissue. The skull, backbone, ribcage, and limbs are all parts of the human skeleton.
The skull bones in an infant aren’t fused together to allow it to be flexible enough to pass through the birth canal during birth. These skull bones fully fuse by the time the toddler turns 1-2 years old. [8] X Research source Children have cartilage in joints and other bony structures to allow bones to develop and grow as the child grows. Extra cartilage develops into bone over time and by around the age of 16, all extra cartilage matures into bone. [9] X Research source Children have “growth plates” in long bones. A growth plate is an area of cartilage on the ends of the long bones (such as the bones in the arms and legs). [10] X Research source They allow bones to grow as the child grows. Growth plates fuse by the time a teen is 14-18. [11] X Research source
Providing support: The skeleton gives your body a defined shape, supports your body weight, and provides strength. [12] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Protecting vital organs: The skeleton protects and supports vital organs of your body—the skull protects the brain, the ribs enclose the heart and lungs, and your backbone protects the spine. [13] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Allowing movement: The skeleton supports your body weight, helping you stand, sit, lie down, and move. Muscles, joints, and connective tissue play an important role in allowing movement. [14] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Producing blood cells: Bones contain soft, jelly-like tissue in them, known as “bone marrow”, which produces red and white blood cells. [15] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Storing vitamins and minerals: Bones hold your body’s supply of essential minerals such as calcium and vitamin D, which also help keep them healthy and strong. [16] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Periosteum: This is the tough, outer membrane covering a bone—however it doesn’t cover the areas that are surrounded by cartilage, or where tendons and ligaments attach to bone. It helps protect the bone. The periosteum itself is made up of two different layers, the inner layer, aka the cambrium, and the outer layer. [18] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source [19] X Research source Compact/cortical bone: This is the white, hard, and smooth tissue under the periosteum. It provides structure, support and protection to the bone. Compact bone accounts for about 80% of the skeleton. [20] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source [21] X Research source Spongy/cancellous/trabecular bone: This is the soft, porous, innermost layer of a bone. It contains red bone marrow. In long bones, spongy bone is generally found towards the epiphysis, the rounded portions at the ends of a bone. [22] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source [23] X Research source [24] X Research source
Cartilage: Stiff, but flexible substance present at joints, keeping bones from rubbing against each-other. [26] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Ligaments: Connective tissue that hold bones together. [27] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Tendons: Connective tissue that connect the ends of muscles to bones. [28] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Teeth: Help chew and break down food. [29] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Joints: Places where two or more bones meet. [30] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Immovable (synarthroses[33] X Research source ) joints: Joints that do not allow any movement. [34] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source For example, other than the lower jaw (mandible), all skull bones are immovable. [35] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source [36] X Research source Partly movable (amphiarthroses[37] X Research source ) joints: Joints that allow limited movement. [38] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source For example, joints in the ribcage are partly movable joints. [39] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Movable (diarthroses[40] X Research source ) joints: Joints that allow more free movement. [41] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source For example, shoulder, knee and elbow joints are movable joints. [42] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Hinge joints: Allow movement in only one direction back and forth, similar to the hinge of a door. The elbow and knee joints are examples of hinge joints. [43] X Research source Ball and socket joints: Allow movement in all directions—this type of joint had the rounded head of one bone moving in the cup of another. The shoulder and hip joints are examples of ball and socket joints. [44] X Research source Pivot/rotary/trochoid joints: Allow rotary movement around an axis. [45] X Research source The joint between the first and second vertebrae in your neck, which allows you to rotate your head from side to side is a good example of a pivot joint. [46] X Research source Gliding/plane joints: Allow bones to glide in any direction along the plane of the joint. The wrist and ankle joints are examples of gliding joints. [47] X Research source [48] X Research source Saddle joints: Allow movement back and forth and side to side only. The joint in the base of your thumb is an example of a saddle joint. [49] X Research source Condyloid joints: Allow movement, but not rotation. The jaw and finger points are examples of condyloid joints. [50] X Research source
Bones are made up of protein collagen and calcium phosphate, and contain bone marrow. Bones are living tissue, and completely regenerate about every 10 years (which slows down with age). [52] X Research source If your bones suffer damage, they will recover over time. [53] X Research source Teeth, on the other hand, consist of enamel, dentin, cementum, and pulp, and don’t contain marrow. Teeth aren’t living tissue, so they can’t regenerate—although permanent teeth regrow in place of milk teeth, these new ones don’t regrow. [54] X Research source If teeth are damaged, or if permanent ones are lost, they won’t be able to fix themselves or regrow—this might make it a good reason to visit a dentist often![55] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Despite these differences, there are some similarities, too! For instance, both bones and teeth contain high amounts of calcium—over 99% of your body’s calcium is found in them. [56] X Research source
Fractures: A fracture, or a broken bone is generally caused by an injury, a disease, a tumor, or trauma that put pressure on a bone, which can cause it to break. [66] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source [67] X Research source Sprains and tears: Connective tissue can sometimes overstretch and get damaged, or even tear. Sprains are commonly caused due to a disease, trauma or old age. [68] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Metabolic bone diseases (MBD)[69] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source : MBDs are disorders that affect bone strength. They are generally caused by abnormalities of minerals like calcium and phosphorus, vitamin D or bone mass or bone structure. [70] X Trustworthy Source Johns Hopkins Medicine Official resource database of the world-leading Johns Hopkins Hospital Go to source MBDs include osteoporosis, rickets/osteomalacia, flurosis, primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), Paget’s disease, tumour-induced osteomalacia, fibrous dysplasia, osteogenesis imperfecta, etc. [71] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Arthritis: Arthritis causes inflammation and tenderness in one or more joints. Some common causes of arthritis include wearing-down of cartilage in joints, injury, or certain medical conditions. [72] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source [73] X Research source Bone cancer (osteosarcoma)[74] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source : Although bone cancer is rare, it is possible. Bone cancer does not include cancers that start elsewhere in the body and spread to bones, but only cancers that start in the bone. [75] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source [76] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Calcium helps maintain bone density and keep them strong, while Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. [80] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source Protein, according to several studies, have a positive impact on bone mineral density/content (BMD/BMC). [81] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Magnesium has been shown to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. [82] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Phosphorus helps with the formation of bones and teeth. [83] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source Potassium helps reduce calcium loss from bones, having a positive effect on BMD. [84] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Fluoride stimulates bone formation when consumed in large doses, according to some studies. It is still unconfirmed—some research finds that fluoride helps reduce vertebral fracture, others don’t. [85] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Vitamin K helps activate proteins for bone formation and keep them strong. [86] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Make sure you drink enough water daily. The eight glass rule isn’t always accurate, so your best bet would be to go with your gut and drink water whenever you feel thirsty. [89] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source On average, men need about 15. 5 cups (3. 7 l) of water every day, while women need about 11. 5 cups (2. 7 l) of water per day. [90] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Weight-bearing and resistance exercises, which make you work against gravity work best. These include walking, jogging, running, climbing stairs, squats, push-ups, and more. [95] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Although swimming and bicycling aren’t the best ways to maintain healthy bones, they may help keep strong muscles. [96] X Research source
Try to maintain a stable, healthy weight, avoid repeatedly losing and regaining weight. [101] X Research source When you lose weight, you may lose bone density, too—but when you gain back the weight, the bone density isn’t simply “restored”. [102] X Research source
If you’re a regular smoker or drinker, quit these habits if you want to have strong bones. If you haven’t started, don’t![106] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Wear protective gear when playing sports. When riding a bicycle (or other two-wheelers), always make sure you wear a helmet and other necessary protection. Also, wear protective gear during contact sports to avoid fractures or other injuries. [110] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source [111] X Research source [112] X Research source
