Aging changes in the bones - muscles - joints

Skeletal system components - Animation

The skeletal system consists of approximately 206 bones, providing the body with structure and support. Let’s take a tour of various components that form the skeletal system. Here’s the skull. It has 8 cranial bones that protect the brain. The facial skeleton has 14 bones that provide a framework for the eye sockets, jaws, and teeth. The facial bones provide the framework for the various structures of the face including the overlying muscles, fat and skin. The vertebral column is composed of 24 individual vertebrae, along with two sets of fused bones called the sacrum and coccyx. In addition to providing support for the trunk of the body, the vertebral column protects the spinal cord. All together, there are 7 cervical, or neck vertebrae; 12 thoracic, or upper back, vertebrae; and 5 lumbar, or lower back, vertebrae. The sacrum is composed of 5 fused bones, while the coccyx, or tailbone, is typically made up of 3 to 5 bones. 12 pairs of ribs form a protective cage for the heart, lungs, and other internal organs. The first 7 ribs are called true ribs because they attach to the breastbone, or sternum. Ribs 8 through 12 are called false ribs, because they either attach indirectly, or, as in the case with ribs 11 and 12, float and don’t attach to the sternum at all. Now let’s take a look at the pair of shoulder blades, or scapulae, and the collar bones, or clavicles. It is very important for the scapulae to be mobile, because they connect to the shoulder joint, which is the most movable joint in the body. The bones of the upper limb include the humerus, which connects the shoulder with the elbow, the ulna, the radius, the wrist bones or carpals, the hand bones or metacarpals, and the finger bones or phalanges. To complete our tour, let’s take a look at the pelvic girdle, knee, and foot. The pelvic girdle is formed by a pair of hip bones. Each hip bone is comprised of 3 fused bones, the ilium, ischium, and pubis. The pelvic girdle connects with the femur or thigh bone at the hip joint. The femur is the longest bone in the body and is important for bearing the body’s weight while standing. At the knee, the femur articulates with the tibia or shin bone. The fibula does not bear weight, but several muscles attach to it. The patella, or kneecap, is suspended within muscle tendons and glides over the femur and tibia when the knee bends. And last, but certainly not the least, are the feet. The foot bones, which include the tarsals, metatarsals, and phalanges, are organized into a series of arches that allow the feet to support the body’s weight.

Osteoporosis - Animation

If you've ever watched an apartment or office building under construction, you've seen the metal scaffolding that keeps the building standing upright. Inside your body, bones are the scaffolding that keep you standing upright. As you get older, these supports can weaken. And if they get too weak, you could wind up with a fracture. Let's talk about the bone-thinning condition called osteoporosis. Your internal scaffolding was built when you were young. Calcium and other minerals helped strengthen your bones, provided that you got enough of them from your diet. As you get older, those minerals can start to leech out of your bones, leaving them brittle, fragile, and easily breakable, a condition known as osteoporosis. Women over 50 are especially at risk for osteoporosis because during menopause they lose estrogen, which helps to keep bones strong. The tricky part about osteoporosis is that it's hard to tell you have it. You may not have any symptoms until you've already fractured a bone. Getting a bone density scan, which measures bone thickness, is one way to find out whether you have osteoporosis so you can start treatment right away if you need it. To keep your bones strong, try to get at least 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily, paired with 1,000 international units of vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium. You can eat foods that are high in these nutrients, like frozen yogurt, salmon, and low-fat milk, or, if you're not a big fan of fish or dairy, you can take supplements. Weight bearing exercise is also your ally when it comes to strengthening bones. A combination of weight bearing exercises like walking or playing tennis, plus strength training and balance exercises will reduce your risk of getting a fracture if you fall. You will want to get at least thirty minutes of exercise three times a week to see the benefits. And, stop smoking. Cigarette smoke both accelerates bone loss and blocks treatments from being as affective. If you've been diagnosed with osteoporosis, your doctor may recommend drugs called bisphosphonates to prevent further bone damage. Other medicines, including calcitonin, parathyroid hormone, and raloxifene are also treatment options. Don't let bone loss get so far along that you could have a disabling fracture from a minor fall. Start strengthening your bones with diet and exercise while you're still young. As you get older, talk to your doctor about bone density scans, and ask whether you need to take medicine if you're at risk for, or are starting to show signs of osteoporosis. And if your bones aren't as strong as they used to be, avoid falls by wearing shoes that fit well, and clearing clutter on the floor before it can trip you up, and bring you down.

Osteoarthritis - Animation

You used to take for granted that you could play a whole game of tennis or basketball without pain. But years of wear and tear have left their mark on your joints, and now your knees and hips hurt so much you can barely bend them. The pain you're feeling may be due to osteoarthritis, a problem many of us face as we get older. We all start out life with a thick layer of cartilage that cushions our joints in the space where the bones meet. That cartilage allows us to twist our legs to kick a soccer ball, or jump to shoot a basket. But years of running, jumping, and climbing stairs can wear out that cushion, leaving the bones rubbing painfully against each other. By age 70, just about everyone feels some pain and stiffness from osteoarthritis, especially when they get up in the morning or after they've overused the joint. You're more likely to have osteoarthritis if you're overweight. It's similar to what happens when you put extra weight on your bed. Eventually, you'll push on the springs so hard that you'll wear them out. The same is true for your joints. People who've had joint injuries or who have played certain sports are also more likely to get osteoarthritis. When you see your doctor about joint pain and stiffness, he'll check how well the joint moves and look for swelling around it. You probably won't be able to move the joint all the way. And when you do move it, it's likely to hurt and may make a cracking sound. An x-ray can confirm that you've lost cartilage around the joint. Unfortunately, there's no cure for osteoarthritis. But there are treatments to relieve the pain, including physical therapy, knee taping, special low load exercise programs, such as swimming, cycling, walking or stretching, and Tai chi in particular can be great for flexibility and strength. Over-the-counter medicines like topical Capsaicin, oral acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen may help. Mud pack therapy may increase the benefit of whatever else you're doing. Your doctor may recommend getting a steroid injection into the joint to both relieve pain and reduce swelling. Another method, which injects artificial joint fluid into the knee, can relieve pain longer term, for up to six months. If the joint damage is really bad, you may need surgery to trim off damaged cartilage or to replace the affected joint in the knee, hip, shoulder, or elbow with an artificial joint. This is called joint replacement surgery, and is quite common for the both damaged hip and knee joints. Although it may hurt to move, staying active can help keep your joints healthy. Exercising can also help you lose the weight that's putting pressure on your sore joints. Ask your doctor to recommend a physical therapist, who can teach you exercises that strengthen the muscles supporting your joints. Osteoarthritis is different in everyone. Some people can get around fine with it while others have trouble doing even the simplest tasks, like bending down to get the morning paper. Before your joints get so stiff and painful that they limit your lifestyle, talk to your doctor about treatment and prevention options that can help you get around more like you used to.