What Systems of the Body Depend on a Healthy Skeletal System?

The skeleton provides structure to the human body. It is comprised of approximately 200 different bones that are connected by ligaments to form joints. The human skeleton allows the body to maintain an upright position, provides protection to different organs and forms a foundational structure for movement. The health of the skeletal system has an impact on several body systems.

Muscular System

• Muscles are composed of muscle bellies, musculotendinous junctions and tendons that connect the muscles to bones to allow movement. The muscular system includes axial muscles that are along the trunk of the body and appendicular muscles in the arms and legs. The axial muscles function primarily to maintain upright posture while appendicular muscles provide movement to the arms and legs. If a bone is broken, the muscles no longer function correctly due to altered length affecting the lever arm. The muscular system is dependent on an intact skeletal system.

Internal Organs and Digestive System

• The internal organs include things like the intestines, stomach, lungs, liver, heart, kidneys and pancreas. These organs are vulnerable to impact, and damage to them can be life-threatening. The rib cage and sternum (breastbone) function as bony protection for the internal organs. If these bones are injured, such as in an auto accident, the internal organs are often affected as well. For example, lungs can be punctured when a rib is fractured.

Spinal Cord and Nervous System

• The spinal cord provides transportation of information to and from the brain to the different areas of the body. It is vital to life-sustaining functions like breathing, and is responsible for powering the muscles that move the arms and legs. If injury to the spinal cord occurs, the resulting functional deficits are significant. The spinal cord is dependent on a healthy skeletal system as it is protected by bones called vertebrae that together form the spine. Vertebrae can be fractured in motor vehicle accidents, high-impact sports activities and with medical conditions like osteoporosis. The most important area of the nervous system that is dependent on a healthy skeletal system is the brain. The brain is protected by the skull which protects it from injury from impact.

Other Systems

• Bones contain a substance called bone marrow, which is responsible for the production of red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma and platelets. These things are important for fighting off illness, clotting blood when injury occurs and delivering oxygen from the lungs to different parts of the body. For these reasons the health of the skeletal system affects the circulatory and immune systems.