GOINDIS NATUROPATHY TRUST(INDIA)
Charity Registration No.845/4 dated 03.09.2003
THE SKELETAL SYSTEM
SANTOKH SINGH PARMAR
FOUNDER TRUSTEES:
Satyendra Singh Goindi, MSc, LLB, ND
Gurkirpal Kaur Goindi, BA, BEd, DPE, ND
Santokh Singh Parmar, B Arch, Dip TP, Dip LA, MRTPI, AITP, AIIA
Devinder Singh Saroya, PCS
Gurmukh Singh Girn, MSc, MCRP, AITP
10 The Skeletal System
What is Skeletal System?
10.1 Your skeletal system supports and protects the soft tissues and vital organs of your body. The skeleton is bony framework of any vertebrae (animal having a backbone). It gives the body shape and provides a system of levers operated by muscles that enable the body to move. If we did not have a skeleton, we would be floppy like a rag doll. Your heart and lungs are shielded by your ribs, your spinal cord is protected by your vertebrae, and your brain is protected by your skull. Without rigid bones and flexible joints, you would not be able to stand, sit, bend, walk, or run. By themselves, bones cannot move. Your skeletal system moves because muscles attached to your bones contract or relax in response to messages sent from the nervous system. Some of the skeletal bones are held together by strong fibers called ligaments.
The Skeleton
10.2 The human skeleton is divided into two main parts. The first part is made up of the bones of the head, neck and trunk. The spine supports the other parts of the body. The Chest ribs protect the heart and lungs. The ribs move up and down, controlling the movement of air in and out of the lungs. The second part is made up of the bones of the arms and legs and their supports. The shoulder consists of the shoulder blade and the collarbone. The leg is attached to the trunk by the pelvis, which is made up of two hipbones. The pelvis supports the lower part of the abdomen, surrounds the urinary bladder and the last portion of the large intestine. The two symmetrical hip bones of the pelvis form a basin-like structure. When we sit down, much of our weight rests on these bones.
Number of Bones
10.3 The skeleton contains about 275 different size and shape bones in a baby and 206 bones in an adult depending on how they are counted. The pelvis, for instance, can be counted as a single bone or as six bones fused together. Children have 33 vertebrae in their spine, but in adults the bottom five become fused to form the sacrum. There are 24 ribs in 12 pairs, and there are 56 phalanxes (finger and toe bones). The hard shell of the skull consists of 28 bones and provides protection for the brain and the delicate sense organs. The bones of the body vary greatly in size. The thigh bone, or femur, is the largest single bone in the body. The three smallest irregular bones – the stirrup, the anvil, and the hammer – are found in the ear and are less than one-half inch long.
Composition of Bones
10.4 They may seem hard and lifeless, but bones are made of living tissue. The outer membrane of the bone, called the periosteum, contains many nerves, as well as blood vessels that transport food and oxygen to the bone’s many cells. Inside the periosteum is the bony layer, which contains more blood vessels, bone cells (osteoblasts), and nerves. At the centre of some bones is the marrow, which makes blood cells and stores fat. Bones appear to be hard and dry, like stone. Yet they are lightweight. Mineral salts like the salts of calcium and phosphorus provide the hardness. Without these salts, bones would be as soft and pliable as rubber. Bone is the most active organ in the body. Bones are continuously reshaped, remodeled and overhauled.
Bone Marrow
10.5 Bones, just like tubes, are hollow inside and are filled with spongy, red or yellow, bone marrow. Marrow is made up of tissue and fat, tiny arteries and veins, and cells that make new blood cells including red, white and platelets. The red colour of bone marrow is due to a pigment called haemoglobin that is produced there. The yellow bone marrow is mostly fat.
Bone Growth
10.6 The long bones of the body, such as the thighbone, femur, continue to grow until a person is about 20 years old. In the end of long bones is a band of cartilage called the epiphysis, or growth plate. Here, cartilage forms that will later be replaced by bone. As a young person matures, this cartilage formation slows down and finally stops. The growth plate becomes completely hardened, and growth in the length of the bone is no longer possible. Heavy exercise makes the bones grow larger, heavier and stronger. Inactivity may lead to the loss of minerals from the bones, which makes them weak and brittle.
10.7 At birth, the bones of an infant’s skull are incompletely developed and are separated by areas of soft tissue called fontanels, or soft spots. Fontanels allow for movement of the skull bones as the baby passes through the birth canal. There are no growth plates in these bones. The skull bones simply grow until they meet, closing up the soft spots. Some fontanels close up as early as two months after birth, but the one at the top of the head does not close up until about one year after birth. There are several factors that can interfere with bone growth. If the epiphysis is injured, growth in the bone may stop. Deficiencies in the diet – especially of the vitamins A, C and D – can interfere with bone growth. Steroid use by young people can cause premature closure of the epiphysis.
Cartilage
10.8 Cartilage is a tough connective tissue found in various regions of the body. In the skeletal system, cartilage connects the ribs to the sternum, helps form the movable joints and is found between the bones of the pelvis. The tip of the nose and the outer ears are made of cartilage, as are the intervertebral disks. These disks serve as cushions that prevent the vertebrae from rubbing and scraping against each other. Sometimes a disk becomes compressed and presses against a spinal nerve, which can be very painful. As people age, a disk’s outer layer may develop cracks. If the inside of the disk protrudes through a crack, a condition called a herniated disk results. Disk damage can also result from misuse of the spine, such as the repeated improper lifting of heavy objects.
Ligaments and Tendons
10.9 Ligaments, as strong as ropes, are the tough bands of tissue, which hold a joint together. They connect one bone to another. They hold the bones in place but still allow some movement. They are grouped together in cords, bands or sheets. A sprain occurs when ligaments covering a joint are torn or twisted. Sprains of the ankles and wrists are more common. A tendon (also called a sinew) is a strong white cord that connects a muscle to a bone. A tendon is a bundle of many tough fibres. Some tendons are round, others long or flat. One end of a tendon arises from the end of a muscle. The other end is woven into the substance of a bone. When the muscle contracts, the strong cable-like tendon is pulled. In turn, the tendon pulls the bone to which it is attached. The tendon may slide up and down inside a sheath of fibrous tissue just as an arm moves in a coat sleeve. The tendon and sheath are held in place by ligaments. A cut tendon may be sewed together.
The Pelvis
10.10 Although the bones of males and females are essentially alike except for size, the pelvis is an exception. To accommodate pregnancy and childbirth, the female’s pelvis has a slightly different shape than that of the male. It is usually wider so there is enough room for a developing foetus. The opening at the bottom of the pelvis is larger so that a baby’s head can pass through during childbirth. The female pelvic bones are usually lighter and have less muscle attachment. This lighter structure causes females to be more susceptible to pelvic fractures than males.
Joints
10.11 Joints are the locations where bones come together. There are three basic types of joints. Immovable joints provide little or no movement. For example, the bones that make up the skull’s cranium are joined by immovable joints called sutures. Slightly movable joints allow limited movement. This type of joint is found between the vertebrae of the spine. The names of the freely movable joints suggest the kind of motion each allows – hinge, pivot, ball-and-socket, and gliding. Hinge joints, found in the knees and elbows, allow back-and-forth movement – like a hinge in a door. Pivot joints, such as those in the neck, allow either back-and-forth movement or up-and-down movement. The shoulder and hip joints are ball-and-socket joints, which allow the greatest range of movement. Gliding joints, found in the wrist and ankles, allow for flexibility.
The Spine
10.12 The spine supports the other parts of the body. The spine runs down the back of the body from the base of the skull till the hip bone at the lower back. It consists of separate bones called vertebrae. All these bones of the spine are held together by discs of cartilage. There are 26 cotton-reel like bones in the vertebral column. Of these 7 bones are in the neck and 12 bones at the back of the chest to which the chest ribs are attached. The lower part of the back has 5 bones. The last 2 are the fused bones of the hip and the tailbone region.
Common Bone Diseases
10.13 Arthritis – There are around 200 types of arthritis which can be broadly divided into rheumatoid (inflammatory arthritis) and osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease, is the most common. It affects primarily the weight bearing joints like the hip or knees but may affect the spine and hands as well. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that normally covers and cushions the ends of the bones breakdown due to age or excessive wear and tear. As bone rubs against bone, the joint loses shape and alignment; the ends of the bone thicken and form bony growths called spurs; and bits of cartilage or bone can float within the joint space. The result is, stiff, aching swollen joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune inflammatory disease attacking the cartilage in its own joints, predominantly in hands, wrists and feet. In many cases it leads to severe pain, stiffness, swelling, joint damage and loss of function of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis has its origin in poor nutrition.
10.14 Osteoporosis – Like high blood pressure and diabetes, this progressive bone disease too strikes silently. “Osteoporosis”, which simply means “porous bones”, is second only to cardiovascular disease as a global health problem (WHO). Your bones are alive, just like other parts of the body. Bone renews itself continuously by removing old bone cells and replacing them with new cells. If too much old bone is lost and too little new bone is formed, due primarily to calcium deficiency, bone density loss can occur and the skeleton become porous and weak. This can set the stage for osteoporosis, a degenerative disease that over time, increases the risk of breaks and fractures, worsens your already poor posture and shaves inches off your height. There are two types of bone loss: age-related bone thinning that happens slowly in men and women; and the accelerated loss of bone mineral density that occurs in women, as estrogen levels drop after menopause – 80% osteoporosis cases happen in women. For bones to grow strong and healthy, we need to eat foods that contain calcium and vitamins A, C and D. These include dairy products, especially cheese and milk; fresh fruits and vegetables; and oily fish.
Santokh Singh Parmar
Naturo-Food Therapist & Lifestyle Consultant
Mobile: +91(0) 9815922330
Websites: www.naturofoodtherapy.org & www.foodtherapy.org
Note: The above information and advice and indicative remedies are not a substitute for the advice, your doctor or naturo-food therapist may give you based on his/her knowledge of yourself.