Know your Body – Skeleton

SKELETON

Every single person has a skeleton made up of many bones. These bones give your body structure, let you move in many ways, protect your internal organs, and much much more.

It’s time to look at all your bones — the adult human body has 206 of them!

If you’ve ever seen a real skeleton or fossil in the museum, you might think that all bones are dead. Although bones in museums are dry, hard, or crumbly, the bones in your body are different. The bones that make up your skeleton are all very much alive, growing and changing all the time like other parts of your body

You’ve got more bones than your mum or dad! You were born with over 300 “soft” bones, but as you get older, many fuses together. By the time you’re 25, you’ll have 206 fully formed bones.

The most complex part of the skeleton is the skull. It is made of many bones that fit together tightly, to protect the brain and support the face.

Your spine is a length of bones running down the back of your body. Without it, you couldn’t hold up your head and body, or make any sort of movement.

The bones in your middle ear – the malleus or hammer, incus or anvil, and stapes or stirrup – are the smallest in your body.

Joints are the places where bones meet. Different kinds of joints allow you to move in different ways. Your knee can bend in the middle but it can’t swing from side to side. This joint has a hinge-like one that allows you to open and close a door. Your hips are ball and socket joints.

They allow you to move your legs in all directions and even to turn them around.

Your bones help you out every day so make sure you take care of them. Here are some tips:

Protect those skull bones (and your brain inside!) by wearing a helmet for bike riding and other sports.

Strengthen your skeleton by drinking milk and eating other dairy products (like low-fat cheese or frozen yogurt).