The TuneUp Program

The skeletal system is a networked collection of different types of connective tissue. While the hard bony tissue makes up the bulk of it, the joint capsules contain ligaments, membranes, catilage and fluid.

The joint capsule

Joints are classified according to

Type

Synovial
Fixed
Cartilagenous
????

Movement

flexion/extension
rotation
gliding
????

probably something else

To help you through the rest of the program I strongly recommend you familiarise yourself with this page. Medical jargon is not necessary for most of the program but because so much of the program is about movement we need have clear and accurate terminology to describe it. I guarantee that if you don't have a look at this stuff now, it won't be long.

Most of the joints that we are concerned with are synovial with relatively simple movements flexion/extension and rotation.

Let's then have a closer look at synovial joints

capsule - ligaments
membranes, fluid, menisci

The joint has a number of functions

Define the connection between joints and the outer limit of it's range of movement. This is the primary role of the joint capsule itself.
Buffer the ends of the bones to prevent friction and wearing of the bony tissue. Cartilage at the ends of each bone and a thick viscous fluid contained within the capsule provide this protection. Some joints have an extra structure called a menisicii

Ligaments are part of the joint capsule, and have two main functions.

They connect bones to each other
They define the extreme limits of movement at a joint.

The connective tissue connection

Ligaments are part of the joint capsule, layers of connective tissue, part of continuous sheet of CT that embeds the skeletal system.

they connect one bone to another bone and limit the amount of movement at the joint. They are named and often presented as separate structures, in reality they are simply regions of a joint capsule that are so thick and defined in their direction and attachment sites that they have a specialist function, that is to restrict the movement of a joint in a particular direction.

image

Bones are made of a specialised form of connective tissue, called skeletal tissue. The outside of the bone is relatively hard while inside it has porous, with networked, beehive like spaces. This structure gives the bone maximum strength whil not making them too heavy.

Type of bones

long, humerus, phalanges
short carpals
flat scapula
etc

The conective tissue connection

Skeletal tissue itself is connective tissue, it is made primarily of collagen fibres embedded in a calcium??? matrix. The composition of its tissues balances the opposing needs of strength and flexibility.

The skeleton

The skeleton is usually studied in terms of it's axis: the spine, the rib cage and the skull and what is called the appendicular skeleton: the four limbs and pelvic and pectoral girdles.

Much of the study of human movement focuses on the spine and it's relationship with the pectoral and pelvic girdles, specifically how these structures contribute to the movement and stability of the arms and legs respectively.

As most of us are still playing with our hands we'll restrict ourselves here to the the study of the spine, the pectoral girdle and the upper limbs.