Anatomy

Body Structure

The Moving Body:

Bones and joints make up the framework of the body, a passive structure
which cannot move by itself.

It is the musculature that manipulates and controls the skeleton. This is

controlled by the nervous system.

Joints are where bones meet, freely movable joints are the dancers favourite.
Here the bones do not really join, but are held inside a capsule called the joint
capsule which is full of cartilage surrounding the bones acting as a cushion,
and synovial fluid which lubricates it all.

Stabilization:

the tough fibrous substance of the joint capsule is formed of ligament. bands
of ligament are attatched to the bones outside the joint capsule, crossing at
various angles.

Ligaments brace the bones and mantain the stabilty of the bone structure.

Ligaments although pliable, are inelastic and not easily stretched. once
stretched (over a long period of time if ever) they never return to original
length.

double jointed people have over long ligaments, ligamentous laxity. too much
of this can lead to weakness and a lack of stability.

a torn ligament is called sprained.

Role of muscles:

typical muscles have a belly that tapers off at each end into a tendon;
each tendon is then attatched to a bone.

the muscle belly contracts, and the tendons in turn pull the bone.

since every muscle crosses at least one joint