THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Muscles
Muscles are attached to bones to form the musculoskeletal system. Muscle
tissue allows our bones to move.
Muscles can be described as tissue composed of contractile fibres stimulated to contract
by a nerve impulse.
 myo  myopathy -
muscle
any disease of muscle
There are over 400 skeletal muscles in the human body. Skeletal muscles are also
known as striated or voluntary muscles. Smooth muscles are called involuntary or
visceral muscles. These move muscle organs such as the digestive tract, blood
vessels and secretory ducts leading from glands.
Primary Functions:
1. Movement
locomotion, peristalsis (contraction of digestive system for
carrying forward of contents) and changes in sizes of body
openings, ie. iris of the eye.
2. Maintenance of posture
moves a body part by pulling across a joint, never pushing
3. Heat production
e.g. shivering
TYPES OF MUSCLE
Striated - Tissue composed of contractile fibers stimulated to contract by a nervous impulse.
Also known as striped, skeletal or voluntary muscle. Skeletal muscle surrounds the skeleton;
its action is voluntary (under the control of the will), the nerve supply is from the peripheral
nerves of the central nervous system (CNS). Also has reflex action. These muscles extend
and contract to move bones and joints.
Smooth - Also known as plain, visceral or involuntary muscle. Found in visceral (internal
organs) and blood vessels. Smooth muscle cannot be controlled in the way skeletal
muscle can, and for that reason it is also known as involuntary muscle. It is not attached
to bones or joints,and aids digestion and circulation ie stomach.
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Cardiac - Heart muscle - located in the myocardium (middle layer of the heart) and forms
the bulk of the heart wall. Has striations but contracts rhythmically without any nervous
impulses supplied from the nervous system.
Some muscles and their actions are:

biceps -
A muscle with two heads. The biceps brachii extends from the
shoulder joint to the elbow. Flexes forearm.

deltoid -
A thick triangular muscle that covers the shoulder joint. Moves
upper arm outwards from the body.

gluteus -
One of the three paired muscles of the buttocks. Helps to
change from sitting to standing.

latissimus -
Positioned across back and posterior chest. Helps to stand and
turn or bend.

pectoralis -
The pectoralis major is a large fan shaped muscle that works over
the shoulder joint. Helps to bring the arm across the body.

triceps-
A muscle with three heads of origin, particularly the triceps
brachii which is situated on the back of the upper arm.
Word root
Combining form
Meaning
My
My/o, myos
Muscle
Rhabd
Rhabd/o
Stripe.
Muscul
Muscul/o
Muscle
Kine
Kine, kinesi/o, kines/o, kinet/o
Movement, motion
Ten
Ten/o, tenont/o, tend/o
Tendon
Orth
Orth/o
straight
The human skeleton is made up of 206 bones that give shape and supports to the body
structures and protect vital internal organs such as the heart and lungs. Some large bones
also manufacture blood cells and store minerals.
Word root
Combining form
Meaning
Oste
Oste/o
bone
BONES:
Long bones – are found in the thighs, upper leg, upper and lower arms. These bones are
very strong, broad at the ends where they join with other bones, and have large areas for
muscle attachment. The middle region is called the diaphysis; each end is called an
epiphysis. The epiphyseal line or plate represents an area of cartilage tissue, from this line
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growth in length takes place, during childhood and adolescence when the bone has reached
its full growth the plate / line, then calcifies and disappears.
The periosteum a strong fibrous vascular membrane covers the surface of a long bone,
except for the epiphyses.
Articular cartilage covers the ends of the long bones at the place where they meet with other
bones.
The ribs, pelvic bone, breastbone, vertebrae and the epiphyses of long bone, contain red
bone marrow. This marrow is richly supplied with blood and consists of immature blood cells
in various developmental stages.
Short bones – are found in the wrist and ankle, they have small irregular shapes
Flat bones – scapula, ribs, and pelvic bones
Sesamoid bones – small, rounded bones found near joints for example, the patella.
BONES:





provide the body framework
provide protection and support for internal organs
assist the body in movement as they are a point of attachment for muscles
storage area for calcium and phosphorus
composed of haematopoietic tissue
There are many different types of bones in the body but the following are the most common
bones.
scapula
mandible
sternum
=
=
=
ribs
humerus
radius
ulna
vertebrae
coccyx
femur
patella
tibia
fibula
tarsals
carpals
metatarsals
phalanges
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
shoulder blade
jaw bone
joins the ribs and protects the heart, oesophagus and trachea (the
breastbone)
form the rib cage
big upper arm bone
outer forearm bone
inner forearm bone
33 small bones that make up the back bone
tail bone
large upper leg bone
knee bone
big inner calf bone
smaller outer calf bone
ankle bones
wrist bones
foot and hand bones
toes and fingers
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Suffix
Meaning
-phyte
Plant/fungus
-poro
Passage/pore
-petr/o
Stone/rock
-clasis
Breaking
-clast
A cell which breaks
-blast
Germ cell/embryonic/immature
-tome
Cutting instrument
-lytic
Pertaining to break down/disintegration
Vertebral column
The vertebral column of spine is made up of a series of small bones called vertebra (plural
vertebrae). Anatomically, the spine is broken into five areas:





the cervical curve which has 7 vertebra
the thoracic curve which has 12 vertebra
the lumbar curve which has 5 vertebra
the sacrum which has 5 vertebra but they are fused together
the coccyx, or tail bone, which has 4 vertebra but they are fused together and is joined
to the sacrum
Word root
Myel
Combining form Meaning
The fluid secreted by the synovial membrane which
Synovi/o
lines the cavity of a joint
Chondr/o
Cartilage
Pads of connective tissue which act as shock
Disc/o
absorbers between vertebrae
Myel/o
Marrow
Spondyl
Spondyl/o
Synovi
Chondr
Disc
Vertebra or vertebral column
Joints
When two or more bones come together, the union is referred to as a joint. Joints may be
moveable, such as the elbow or shoulder joint, or immovable such as the sacrum in the spine.
Bones are held together at moveable joints by strong connective tissues called ligaments.
Word root
Combining form
Meaning
Arthr
Arthr/o
Joint or articulation
Several different types of joints are found within the body. The type of joint is determined
by the need for movement.
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Types of Movable Joints:
Hinge joints – the elbow, ankle and interphalangeal joints
Pivot joints – between the proximal ends of the radius and ulna and the joint between the
atlas and axis of the spine
Saddle joint – between the trapezium of the carpus, and metacarpus of the thumb
Ball and socket joint – shoulder and hip joint
Orthopaedics (ortho the combining form for straight + paed, the root word for child) was
the branch of medicine dealing with correcting deformities in children. It now means a
branch of medicine dealing with the muscles and skeleton.
Orthotics (-tic is a suffix meaning pertaining to) is the science dealing with the use of
specialised mechanical static (rigid) and dynamic (mobile) devices that support, correct
and protect impaired parts of the muscular and skeletal systems.
Osteopath (osteo is the combining form for bone, path is the root word for disease) refers
to a physician who diagnoses and treats bone disease using palpation, manipulation and
massage.
Rheumatologist is a doctor who treats joint diseases.
Chiropractor (chir/o is the combining form for hand) uses physical means to manipulate
the spinal column, believing that disease is caused by pressure on the nerves
CRANIUM / SKULL
Crani is the root word for cranium/skull, crani/o is the combining form. The bones of the
cranium/skull protect the brain and structures within it such as the sensory organs.
MOVEMENT
Kines OR kinesi is used in words to mean movement. Kinesia means condition/state of
movement.
Activity 1
1 All the following are bones in the arm except the
radius
ulna
femur
humerus
2 The tarsal bones are located in the
hand
foot
ankle
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wrist
3 Decreasing the angle at a joint between bones is called
abduction
flexion
adduction
extension
4 All the following are bones of the leg except the
coccyx
femur
tibia
patella
5 A tumour in a muscle is called?
myosis
myoma
myalgia
myoplasty
6 Arthritis means inflammation of which of the following body parts?
the tendons
the bones
the cartilage
the joints
Diseases and disorders of the musculoskeletal system
One of the most common disorders of the musculoskeletal system is a fracture. When a bone
breaks it is known as a fracture.
Fractures (#):
Closed/ simple
Comminuted
Compound / open
Depressed
Greenstick
Impacted
Oblique
Pathological
Transverse
Spiral
Complicated
simple clean break
a fracture of many relatively small fragments
a fracture which breaks the skin
bone is forced inward ie. Skull, cheek bone
incomplete fracture in which the bone bends
broken fragments are wedged into each other
break extends in a diagonal direction (at an angle other than a right
angle)
break due to disease of bone
break at right angle across the bone
a fracture which runs around the axis of the bone
a fracture with soft tissue injury
When fractured bones are placed back together to heal it is referred to as ‘reducing the fracture’.
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Other diseases and disorders include:
Disease/disorder
Scoliosis
Definition
Abnormal condition where bone density is lost – the bone becomes
very porous
Abnormal lateral curvature of the spine
Arthritis
Inflammation of the joint
Chondromalacia
Abnormal softening of the cartilage
Osteomyelitis
Inflammation of the bone marrow
Tendinitis
Inflammation of the tendon
Muscular dystrophy
Wasting of the muscles
Myitis
Inflammation of the muscle
Myoma
A benign tumour of the muscle
Osteoporosis
Activity 2
Build words which mean
Disease of the heart muscle
Relating to diaphragm muscle
Poor growth of muscle
Instrument which measures muscular
movement
Inflammation of the tendon
Loss of bone density
Instrument to view within a joint
Inflammation of a joint
Puncture of a joint
Plant like growth of cartilage
Condition of softening of cartilage
Removal of an intervertebral disc
Inflammation of bone marrow
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Activity 3
Read the following paragraph and rewrite it using lay terms.
Note: Oral steroids are an anti-inflammatory medication that can contribute to decreasing bone
density. A bone scan measures the thickness and density of bones.
Dear Dr Johns
Thank you for referring Mrs Elliott to me. Mrs Elliott has a thirty-year history of scoliosis, which
is compounded by severe, chronic osteoporosis. She also suffers from arthritis in her hands
and feet for which she takes a high dose of oral steroid (30 mg daily). Steroids are
contraindicated in a woman of her age, especially considering her existing osteopathy. I have
booked her for a bone density scan and will review her again next week.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Hopkins
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Terms And Word Parts:
arthr/o
joint
articulation joint Junction of two or more bones or skeletal parts
brachi/o
arm
fluid filled sac found between tendon and bone, skin and bone,
bursa
muscle and muscle
carp/o
carpal (wrist bones)
cephal/o
head
cervic/o
cervix / neck
chondr/o
cartilage
cost/o
rib
crani/o
skull
femur
thigh bone (longest and strongest bone in body)
ili/o
ilium (flank)
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lumb/o
mandible
maxilla
medulla
myel/o
my/o
orth/o
oste/o
paed/o
scapu/lo
scoli/o
spondyl/o
talus
tend/o
loin / lower back
lower jaw
upper jaw
marrow
bone marrow, spinal cord
muscle
straight
bone
child
scapula (shoulder blade)
crooked twisted
vertebrae / spinal column
second largest bone of the ankle
tendon (dense white fibrous tissue attaching muscle to bone)
Selected Abbreviations:
C 1, C2, etc
CDH
FX, #
L1, L2, etc
NOF
NSAID
OA
POP
RA
T1, T2
THR
TKR
first and second cervical vertebrae etc.
congenital dislocation of hip
fracture
first and second lumbar vertebrae etc
neck of femur
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
osteoarthritis
plaster of paris
rheumatoid arthritis
first and second thoracic vertebrae etc.
total hip replacement
total knee replacement
Symptomatic Terms:
arthrodynia
pain in a joint
lumbago
low back ache
luxation
dislocation
subluxation
partial dislocation
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Diagnostic terms:
bunion
bursitis
carpal tunnel
syndrome
decubitus ulcer
a deformity on the head of the metatarsal bone at the junction with
the great toe
inflammation of a bursa
compression of the median nerve as it passes through the wrist
bed sore
disarticulation
amputation at the joint
dislocation
displacement of articular surfaces of bone
exostosis
benign cartilaginous outgrowth from a bone
gout
osteomalacia
excess of urates in blood and joints
inflammation of joint cartilage and secondary changes in
underlying bone
fragility of bones due to deficiency of calcium and vitamin D
osteomyelitis
inflammation of the bone marrow due to infection
osteoporosis
loss of bone tissue (becomes brittle)
osteosarcoma
malignant bone tumour
rickets/rachitis
fragility of bones due to deficiency of calcium and vitamin D
scoliosis
lateral (sideways curvature of the spine)
spina bifida
birth defect - part of spinal cord exposed at birth
spondylitis
inflammation of the spinal vertebrae
sprain
injury to a joint with tearing of tendons and ligaments
spur
a sharp projection, especially one of bone
tenosynovitis
inflammation of a tendon sheath
osteoarthritis
Operative terms:
arthrectomy
arthrocentesis
arthrodesis
arthroplasty
arthroscopy
arthrotomy
laminectomy
removal of a joint
surgical puncture to remove fluid from ja oint
the fixation of a moveable joint by surgery
surgical repair of a joint
examination of a joint
incision into a joint
removal of the rear part of a vertebrae
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