THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
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
Oste
Combining form
Oste/o
Meaning
bone
There are many different types of bones in the body but the following are the
most common bones.
scapular
mandible
sternum
trachea
ribs
humerus
radius
ulna
vertebrae
coccyx
femur
patella
tibia
fibula
tarsals
metatarsals
phalanges
carpels
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shoulder blade
jaw bone
joins the ribs and protects the heart, oesophagus and
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form the rib cage
big upper arm bone
outer forearm bone
inner forearm bone
26 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
foot and hand bones
toes and fingers
wrist bones
Suffix
-phyte
-poro
-petr/o
-clasis
-clast
-blast
-tome
-lytic
MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Meaning
Plant/fungus
Passage/pore
Stone/rock
Breaking
A cell which breaks
Germ cell/embryonic/immature
Cutting instrument
Pertaining to break
down/disintegration
1
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:
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the cervical curve which has 7 vertebra
the thoracic curve which has 12 vertebra
the lumbar curve which has 5 vertebra
the sacrum which is the a whole fused section
the coccyx, or tail bone, which is joined to the sacrum
Word root
Synovi
Combining form
Synovi/o
Chondr
Disc
Chondr/o
Disc/o
Myel
Spondyl
Myel/o
Spondyl/o
Meaning
The fluid secreted by the
synovial membrane which lines
the cavity of a joint
Cartilage
Pads of connective tissue which
act as shock absorbers between
vertebrae
Marrow
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
Arthr
Combining form
Arthr/o
Meaning
Joint or articulation
Muscles
Muscles are attached to bones to form the musculoskeletal system. Muscle
tissue allows our bones to move.
These are 3 types of muscle tissue
 Cardiac muscle is found in the heart
 Skeletal muscle is attached to bones and allows you to move. As you
can control skeletal muscles, they are also known as voluntary
muscles. These muscles extend and contract to move bones and
joints.
 Smooth muscle that makes up the walls of organs such as the
stomach and the uterus. Smooth muscle cannot be controlled in the
way skeletal muscle can, and for that reason it is also known as
involuntary muscle.
MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
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Word root
My
Rhabd
Muscul
Kine
Ten
Orth
Combining form
My/o, myos
Rhabd/o
Muscul/o
Kine, kinesi/o, kines/o,
kinet/o
Ten/o, tenont/o, tend/o
Orth/o
Meaning
Muscle
Stripe
Muscle
Movement, motion
Tendon
straight
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
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
MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
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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. There are three main types of
fractures:
 Simple fractures – these do not break the skin and can simply be a
crack in the bone.
 Compound fracture – these breaks are severe enough to tear the skin.
Remember that bone is very hard and when it breaks the muscle holding
it in place pull the pieces apart.
 Comminuted – this type of fracture and describes a bone that has been
crushes or splintered into more than two fragments.
When fractured bones are placed back together to heal it is referred to as
‘reducing the fracture’.
Other diseases and disorders include:
Disease/disorder
Osteoporosis
Scoliosis
Arthritis
Chondromalacia
Osteomyelitis
Tendinitis
Muscular dystrophy
Myitis
Myoma
Definition
Abnormal condition where bone density is lost
Abnormal lateral curvature of the spine
Inflammation of the joint
Abnormal softening of the cartilage
Inflammation of the bone marrow
Inflammation of the tendon
Wasting of the muscles
Inflammation of the muscle
A tumour of the muscle
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
MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
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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
Activity 3
Read the following paragraph and rewrite it using lay terms.
Note: Oral steroids are an anti-inflammatory medication that can contribute to
deceasing 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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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
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