General Anatomy Skeletal System Functions and Types of Bones

Skeletal System Functions

• The skeletal system provides support, protection, and movement for the body.

Types of Bones

• Short bones are approximately as broad as they are long.
• Irregular bones have shapes that do not fit into the categories of long, short, or flat bones.

Long Bone Anatomy

• The diaphysis is the shaft of long bones.
• The epiphyses are located at the ends of the bone and may likely be surrounded by articular cartilage if it articulates with another bone.

Bone Structures

• Foramina are openings in bones that allow for the passage of nerves and blood vessels.
• The vertebral foramen is a triangular opening in the vertebrae.

Axial Skeleton

• The axial skeleton consists of 80 bones.
• The cervical vertebrae have a wider transverse body and a triangular vertebral foramen.

Sternum

• The xiphoid process is the sword-shaped lower part of the sternum, composed of three parts.

Upper Limb

• The scapula is the bone that forms the shoulder girdle and has a coracoid process for muscle attachments.
• The forearm consists of two long bones.
• The carpal bones are a group of eight short bones in the wrist.

Vertebral Column

• The lumbar region has a normal curvature known as lumbar lordosis.
• The cervical vertebrae are characterized by small bodies, bifid spinous processes, and transverse foramina.

Scapula

• The glenoid cavity is a structure located in the superior lateral portion of the scapula and articulates with the head of the humerus.
• The coracoid process is attached to some shoulder and arm muscles via the scapula.