Functions of the Skeleton

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Skeletal System Functions

The skeletal system has 6 functions:

Support

The bones in the skeletal system keep us upright and hold the muscles and organs in place.
- E.g. the femur (thigh bone) in the leg supports an athlete’s body weight when running.

Shape

The skeleton gives us our shape, height and build (e.g. taller people have longer bones).
The skeleton also provides ‘anchor’ points for muscles to attach to.
The human skeleton has a thumb, which allows us to grip a tennis racquet or javelin.

Protection

Parts of the skeleton provide protection for the vital organs.
The cranium (skull), sternum (breastbone) and pelvis are all flat bones. They provide the best protection because of their large surface area.
This is useful in contact sports, such as football and rugby, because they can prevent injuries to the brain and the heart.

Movement

The skeleton’s joints allow the body to move.
Muscles attach to the bones at places where they can pull a bone in a given direction.
This is useful in all sporting actions.
- E.g. when a boxer jabs (punches) someone, the triceps (muscle at the back of the upper arm) contracts to pull the radius and ulna (bones in the forearm) away from the humerus (bone in the upper arm).

Mineral storage

The bones can store minerals such as calcium.
Calcium can then be released into the blood when needed.

Production of blood cells

Bone marrow (a fatty substance) that is found in the long bones (e.g. femur) produces red and white blood cells.
- Red blood cells carry oxygen and white blood cells fight against infection.
Anyone doing any aerobic event will need red blood cells to transport oxygen to the working muscles. If a runner fell over and cut their leg, the white blood cells would fight any invading bacteria to help the athlete stay healthy (free from infection).

Muscles of the Body

Because muscles can only pull, they need to be arranged in pairs to function.

Upper body muscle pairs - examples

Biceps (front) + triceps (back)- located on either side of the Humerus (bone in the upper arm).
Abdominals (front) + latissimus dorsi (back) - located on either side of the body.
Pectorals (front) + latissimus dorsi and trapezius (back) - located on either side of the rib cage.
Deltoid (front/top) + latissimus dorsi (back/underneath) - located on either side of the ball and socket joint in the shoulder.

Lower body muscle pairs - examples

Quadriceps (front) + hamstrings (back) - located either side of the femur (thigh bone).
Hip flexors (front) + gluteals (back) - muscles that are located on either side of the pelvis.
Tibialis anterior (front) + gastrocnemius (back) - located on either side of the tibia (shin bone).

1Applied Anatomy & Physiology

1.1The Musculoskeletal System

1.1.1Musculoskeletal Structure

1.1.2Structure of the Skeleton

1.1.3Functions of the Skeleton

1.1.4Joints

1.1.5Joints 2

1.1.6Antagonistic Muscle Movement

1.1.7End of Topic Test - The Musculoskeletal System

1.1.8Exam-Style Questions - Musculoskeletal System

1.2The Cardio-Respiratory System

1.2.1Pathway of Air

1.2.2Blood Vessels

1.2.3Blood Vessels 2

1.2.4Structure of the Heart

1.2.5Cardiac Cycle

1.2.6Measures of Heart Performance

1.2.7The Mechanics of Breathing

1.2.8The Mechanics of Breathing 2

1.2.9The Lungs

1.2.10End of Topic Test - The Cardio-Respiratory System

1.2.11Exam-Style Questions - Cardio-Respiratory System

1.3Anaerobic & Aerobic Exercise

1.3.1Aerobic & Anaerobic Respiration

1.3.2Recovering After Exercise

1.3.3Treatments for Recovery

1.4Short-Term Effects of Exercise

1.4.1Short-Term Effects of Exercise

1.4.2Long-Term Effects of Exercise

2Movement Analysis

2.1Lever Systems

2.1.1Lever Systems

2.1.2Mechanical Advantage

2.1.3Basic Sporting Movements

2.1.4Basic Sporting Movements 2

2.2Planes & Axes of Movement

2.2.1Planes & Axes of Movement

2.2.2End of Topic Test - Movement Analysis

2.2.3Exam-Style Questions - Movement

3Physical Training

3.1Health & Fitness

3.1.1Health & Fitness

3.2The Components of Fitness

3.2.1The Components of Fitness

3.2.2Sports & Fitness

3.2.3Fitness Testing

3.2.4Measuring Agility & Balance

3.2.5Measuring Cardiovascular & Coordination

3.2.6Measuring Endurance & Power

3.2.7Measuring Reaction Time & Strength

3.2.8Measuring Strength, Speed & Flexibility

3.2.9End of Topic Test - The Components of Fitness

3.2.10Exam-Style Questions - Fitness Tests

4The Principles of Training

4.1Principles of Training

4.1.1Principles & Circuit Training

4.1.2Continuous & Fartlek Training

4.1.3Plyometric & Static Training

4.1.4Weight & Interval Training

4.2Optimising Training

4.2.1Optimising Training

4.2.2Altitude & Seasonal Training

4.2.3Warming Up

4.2.4Cooling Down

4.2.5End of Topic Test - Principles & Optimisation

4.2.6Exam-Style Questions - Sport-Specific Fitness

5Using Data

5.1Types of Data

5.1.1Quantitative Data

5.1.2Qualitative Data

5.2Data Presentation & Analysis

5.2.1Data Presentation & Analysis

6Sports Psychology

6.1Skills

6.1.1Skills

6.1.2Skills 2

6.1.3Goals & Targets

6.1.4Skills HyperLearning

6.2Feedback & Preparation

6.2.1Information Processing

6.2.2Guidance

6.2.3Guidance 2

6.2.4Feedback

6.2.5Mental Preparation

6.2.6Controlling & Optimising Arousal

6.2.7Exam-Style Questions - Skills & Guidance

6.3Personality & Behaviour

6.3.1Aggression

6.3.2Motivation

6.3.3Personality Types

6.3.4End of Topic Test - Sports Psychology

6.3.5Exam-Style Questions - Aggression & Motivation

7Socio-cultural Influences

8Health & Fitness

8.1Overview of Health

8.1.1Well-Being & Fitness

8.1.2Types of Health

8.2Sedentary Lifestyles

8.2.1Sedentary Lifestyle

8.2.2Obesity & Performance

8.2.3Somatotypes

8.3Nutrition & Hydration

8.3.1Nutrition

8.3.2Nutrition 2

8.3.3Hydration

8.3.4End of Topic Test - Health & Fitness

8.3.5Exam-Style Questions - Nutrition & Hydration

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