The skeleton provides three key functions for sports: 1. Support: Bones provide a solid framework to keep the body upright during physical activity like running. The legs support the weight of the body. 2. Movement: Joints allow for movement in different directions which is important for changing speed, direction, jumping and dodging in sports. 3. Examples: In basketball, leg bones keep players tall and joints in the hips, knees and ankles allow for changing speeds and jumping. The neck, shoulders and wrist joints enable catching and passing.

1. © SSER Ltd. B. Wing

2. Cranium
Clavicle
Pelvis
Humerus Radius
Femur
Ulna
Tibia
Patella
Fibula
Scapula
(hidden)
Sternum
Vertebrae
Ribs
Phalanges
Metacarpals
Carpals
Tarsals
MetatarsalsPhalanges
There are 206 bones in the human body - the larger bones are:
The Skeletal SystemThe Skeletal System
Skip to
labelled
diagram

3. The Cranium
Your skeleton is made up of bones, which are held together at joints
by strong ‘straps’ called ligaments.
 It is also known as the skull.
 It is made up of 8 flat
interlocking bones.
 The lower jaw-bone or
mandible is hinged to the
cranium, so you can chew.

4. The Rib CageThe Rib Cage
 You have 12 pairs of ribs.
 All are joined to the
vertebrae at the back.
 Most are also joined to
the sternum at the front,
except the bottom 2 pairs
which are short floating
ribs.

5. The skeleton is a rigid supporting framework of bones
inside the body, to which all the soft tissues and
organs are attached.
The Functions of the SkeletonThe Functions of the Skeleton
The skeleton can:
Together, the bones and muscles form a machine
which can perform many different tasks.
 grow in size.
 repair its own broken parts.
 lubricate its own joints.
 support internal organs.
 Protection
 Support
 Movement
 Blood Cell Production
The 4 main functions of the Skeleton are:

6. ProtectionProtection
The hard nature of bone means that the skeleton
can protect the more delicate parts of the body.
Examples:
 The cranium (skull)
protects the soft
tissue of the brain.
 The rib cage protects
the delicate heart and
lungs.

7. Without the skeleton, the body would be
flabby and shapeless.
Examples:
 The bones of the legs support the body.
 The vertebrae support the head.
SupportSupport

8. The skeleton is jointed to allow us to move when
the muscles attached to them contract.
Example:
 The bones and
joints work
with muscles
to enable us
to walk, jog
and sprint.
MovementMovement
 The vertebrae
allow us to
bend, stretch
and rotate our
body.

9. Red and white blood cells are made in red bone
marrow which is found at the ends of the femur
and humerus and in the ribs, sternum, pelvis and
vertebrae.
Femur::
Located in the upper
part of the leg.
Humerus::
Located in the upper
part of the arm.
BloodBlood CellCell ProductionProduction
Red Bone
Marrow

10. Movement:
The joints in the spine allow bending and
twisting.
Support:
The spine is long and strong to support other
body parts, e.g. the head.
Protection:
The spine is hard and protects the nerves
running through the middle, i.e. the spinal cord.
The Vertebral ColumnThe Vertebral Column
It is made up of 34 vertebrae, which are divided
into 5 regions, each having its own function.

11. Cervical Vertebrae (7): Support the head, allowing it to
bend and twist.
Thoracic Vertebrae (12): The ribs are connected to
these - there is very little movement.
Lumbar Vertebrae (5): These are big and allow powerful
twisting and bending of the back.
Sacrum Vertebrae (5): These form one solid mass
which is fused to the pelvis.
Coccyx Vertebrae (5): These are the remains of our tail.
The Vertebral ColumnThe Vertebral Column

12.  Bones start to grow inside the womb,
where they begin as cartilage.
Cartilage
Periosteum
Bone Marrow
Spongy Bone
Compact Bone
What are Bones made of?What are Bones made of?
Vitamin D helps build bone.
Calcium is a mineral which
helps keep bones strong.
 Even as a fully-grown adult, the
bone structure is always changing,
as vitamins and minerals are
constantly replaced.
 As you get older this turns into hard
bone by a process called ossification.
 Bones will only grow properly as long
as certain minerals and vitamins are
eaten:
 A poor diet will result in soft bones,
whilst a balanced diet and exercise
will make the bones harder.

13. Bone StructureBone Structure
A photomicrograph of a section of bone showing
the strong concentric pattern laid down
by the bone cells and the surrounding
calcium phosphate.
A photomicrograph of a section of bone showing
the strong concentric pattern laid down
by the bone cells and the surrounding
calcium phosphate.
Calcium
phosphate
Calcium
phosphate
Bone cellsBone cells

14. Types of BonesTypes of Bones
There are 4 main types of bones in the human body.
Long Tubular BonesLong Tubular Bones – These are long and
affect our overall height, e.g. the legs & arms
(femur & humerus).
Short BonesShort Bones – These are smaller and are
often found with many others, e.g. the feet &
hands (phalanges).
Flat BonesFlat Bones – These are flat and are often
found forming a protective surface, e.g. the
skull (cranium) and pelvis.
Irregular BonesIrregular Bones – These are irregular in shape
and have a specific function, e.g. the bones of
the spine (vertebral column).
Each type has a different size and shape because they
have different jobs to do:

15. JointsJoints
A joint is where two or more bones meet and
muscles act together to cause movement.
 The human skeleton is jointed to
allow movement.
 Muscular contraction causes the
bones to move about the joints.
 The bones act as levers with the
joints acting as pivots.

16. 1. Fixed or Immoveable Joints
The bones at an immoveable joint cannot move -
they overlap or interlock, and are held together
by a tough fibre, e.g. the skull.
2. Slightly Moveable Joints
The bones at a slightly moveable joint can only move
a little - they are held together by strong straps
called ligaments and are joined by protective pads
known as cartilage, e.g. the ribs.
3. Freely Moveable Joints
At a freely moveable joint the bones move freely.
They are also known as synovial joints, and
are the largest group of joints found in the body,
e.g. the hips, shoulders and knees.
Types of JointsTypes of Joints
There are 3 main types of joint found in the body.

17. Freely Moveable JointsFreely Moveable Joints
A typical synovial joint has the following characteristics:
 Freely Moveable joints are also known as Synovial Joints.
 They are freely moving and occur where 2 or more bones meet.
 There are about 70 freely moveable joints in the human skeleton.
2. Joint Capsule – The outer covering of the joint that holds
the bones together and protects the joint.
3. Synovial Membrane – The inner lining of the joint
capsule which also produces synovial fluid.
4. Synovial Fluid – The fluid which surrounds the joint and
acts like an ‘oil’, lubricating it to allow easy movement.
5. Ligaments – These are elastic straps which join bone to
bone, holding the joint together.
6. Tendons – These are non-elastic straps which join muscle to bone.
1. Cartilage – A material which covers the end of each bone, and
which helps prevent friction between the joint.

18. Elbow Joint
This joint can be moved in the
following ways:
 Bend
 Straighten
 Circle
 Move away from the body
 Move towards the body
This joint can be moved
in the following ways:
 Bend
 Straighten
Hip Joint
Examples of Synovial JointsExamples of Synovial Joints

19. This joint can be moved in the
following ways:
 Bend
 Straighten
 Circle
 Move away from the body
 Move towards the body
This joint can be moved in
the following ways:
 Bend
 Straighten
Shoulder JointShoulder Joint Knee JointKnee Joint

20. This joint can be moved in the following ways:
 Bend – but not as much as the knee & elbow.
 Straighten - but not as much as the knee & elbow.
 Circle – but not as much as the shoulder & hip.
 Move away from the body – but not as much as the shoulder & hip.
 Move towards the body – but not as much as the shoulder & hip.
Wrist Joint

21. Types of Synovial JointsTypes of Synovial Joints
KEY
Ball & Socket Joint
Hinge Joint
Pivot Joint
Gliding Joint
Saddle Joint
Condyloid Joint
Freely moveable (synovial) joints can be
divided into six groups depending upon
how they move.

22. Ball and Socket joints are the most moveable joints in the body.
1.1. Ball and Socket JointsBall and Socket Joints
They can move in all directions, e.g. the hip and shoulder joints.

23. Hinge joints work like a hinge on a door.
2.2. Hinge JointsHinge Joints
They can only move in two directions, e.g. the knee and elbow joints.

24. This joint only allows rotation,
e.g. the vertebrae of the neck.
3.3. Pivot JointsPivot Joints
There is a little movement in all
directions, e.g. the hand between
the carpals.
4.4. Gliding JointsGliding Joints

25. In these joints there is movement
forwards, backwards and to the
right and left, but no rotation,
e.g. the thumb.
5.5. Saddle JointsSaddle Joints
Here there is a little movement in
all directions, but there is no
rotation, e.g. the wrist.
6.6. Condyloid JointsCondyloid Joints

26. The Synovial Joint of the KneeThe Synovial Joint of the Knee
The knee is a hinge joint.
Ligaments
Tendons
Tibia/Fibula
Femur
Cartilage
Synovial Fluid
Synovial Membrane
Patella

27. The Hip is a ball and socket joint.
Ligaments
Synovial Fluid
Tendons
Synovial
Membrane
Pelvis
Cartilage
Femur
The Synovial Joint of the HipThe Synovial Joint of the Hip

28. Different types of synovial joints allow different kinds of movement.
There are 6 basic types of movement that can occur at such joints:
1. Extension: Straightening or
extending a limb.
2. Flexion: Bending or flexing
a limb.
Example: the arm can be
extended at the elbow.
Example: the leg can be
flexed at the knee.
Movement at Synovial JointsMovement at Synovial Joints

29. 3. Abduction: Moving a limb away
from the centre line
of the body.
4. Adduction: Moving a limb
towards the centre
line of the body.
Example: The leg can be moved
away from the centre of the body
at the hip.
Example: The arm can be moved
towards the centre of the body at
the shoulder.

30. 5. Rotation: This is a turning or
rotational movement of
a limb or body part.
Example: the head can be rotated
at the neck.
6. Circumduction: The ability of a
limb to be
moved in circles.
Example: the arm can move in
circles at the shoulder.

31. What types of movement are possibleWhat types of movement are possible
at the following joints?at the following joints?
 Extension
 Flexion
 Abduction
 Adduction
 Rotation
 Circumduction
 Extension
 Flexion
 Rotation
Ball and Socket Joint:
Hinge Joint: Pivot Joint:

32. The structure of the human skeleton
helps sports people to perform in the
following ways:
How does the Skeleton contributeHow does the Skeleton contribute
to performance in Sport?to performance in Sport?
Support:
 Bone is hard which means it creates a
solid supporting framework inside the
body.
The legs support the body keeping it
upright during the physical activity.
Movement:
 The skeleton is jointed so we can
move. The ability to move in a variety
of ways is essential in most sports,
e.g. run, sprint, jump, dodge, etc.

33. At the ‘tip-off’, players will use a
dodge to move into space to receive
a pass.
The skeleton helps in a number of
ways:
 The legs keep the players upright
and tall.
 The ankle, knee and hip joints allow
them to change speed, direction
and to jump - to lose their
opponents when dodging, sending or
receiving a ball.
 The neck supports the head
allowing them to look around.
 The shoulder, elbow and wrist
joints enable the players to reach
out and catch the ball.
BasketballBasketball

34. End of Show
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