THE BODY:BODY STRUCTURE

Park Mains High School

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The purpose of your skeleton

Your skeleton has three main functions.

1. It supports your body

2. It protects vital organs

3. It enables movement

Muscles are attached to the bones of the skeleton by connective tissue known as a Tendon.

Ligaments join bones to other bones and help provide stability in joints.

Cartilage acts as a buffer to protect bones. There is cartilage at the end of bones which is hard and smooth to reduce stress i.e. stops bones rubbing together.

The functions of a tendon, cartilage and ligament

The functions of a tendon, cartilage and ligament

• Muscles function by working in pairs or groups. E.g. when your tricep muscle relaxes and lengthens your bicep muscle contracts and shortens.

• As well as enabling movement muscles are also important for good posture.

Check you understand how muscles work in pairs by feeling your arm muscles (biceps and triceps) relax and contract.

Muscle functions and groups of muscles

Arm muscles

Leg muscles

Your skeleton is made up of bones, and joints are where two or more bones meet. There are 3 different types of joints:

• Immovable or fixed joints such as the head.

• Slightly moveable joints such as the vertebrae (spine).

• Freely moveable (synovial) joints which have the greatest range of movement.

JOINTS

The ball and socket joint movement is possible in all directions.

Can you name two examples?

Freely moveable or Synovial joints

With the hinge joint movement is only possible in one direction. An open and closed movement like a door.

Can you name two examples?

Freely moveable or Synovial joints