Musculoskeletal System
What is the Musculoskeletal System?
The musculoskeletal system works to support the body’s weight and enable movement. The system includes soft tissues, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and bones that can be affected by injuries, diseases, and aging, which can impede the movement and function of the skeletal muscles.
The musculoskeletal system is made up of bones, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues. The skeletal system provides the framework for muscles and other soft tissues, which together with the other parts mentioned support the body’s weight, maintain posture, and help in movement. There are many disorders and conditions which can cause problems for musculoskeletal health from aging to birth defects and disease to injuries.
To maintain musculoskeletal health, there are several things a person can do:
- Exercise regularly: a combination of weight exercises and cardiovascular activity as well as strengthening the muscles to support joints and protect them from harm.
- Good sleep: to encourage recovery in the bones and muscles
- Maintaining a healthy weight: extra weight puts pressure on the bones and joints which increases the risk for musculoskeletal issues.
- Healthy diet: foods such as lean protein and many vegetables provide greater bone density and increase strength.
How Does the Musculoskeletal System Work?
The nervous system controls voluntary muscle movements, which means the movements you intend to make. Various movements can include large muscle groups or smaller ones, such as jumping using many muscles and pushing a button requiring only some. How the musculoskeletal system works is how movements occur:
1.
The nervous system sends a message to activate the skeletal muscles
2.
The muscle fibers contract in response to the nervous system’s message
3.
The muscles activate and pull on the tendon, which is what attaches the muscles to bones
4.
The tendon pulls the bone to make it move
5.
When the muscle needs to relax, another message is sent from the nervous system to trigger deactivation
6.
The relaxed muscle relieves tension and moves the bone to a resting position
1.
The nervous system sends a message to activate the skeletal muscles
2.
The muscle fibers contract in response to the nervous system’s message
3.
The muscles activate and pull on the tendon, which is what attaches the muscles to bones
4.
The tendon pulls the bone to make it move
5.
When the muscle needs to relax, another message is sent from the nervous system to trigger deactivation
6.
The relaxed muscle relieves tension and moves the bone to a resting position.
What Disorders and Conditions Affect Skeletal Muscle Health?
There are hundreds of musculoskeletal conditions that can affect movement and joints, affecting the way a person moves and speaks. Some of the most common causes of musculoskeletal problems include:
- Arthritis: pain, inflammation, and joint stiffness can be caused by several types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and osteoarthritis.
- Aging: natural aging causes bones to lose their density which can lead to osteoporosis and bone fractures. Also, muscle loss and cartilage wear happen as one grows older, leading to pain and stiffness, and decreased range of motion.
- Cancer: there are several types of cancer that can affect the musculoskeletal system such as tumors growing in connective tissue and bone cancer.
- Disease: there are a variety of diseases that affect how bones, muscles, and connective tissues function, such as osteonecrosis which causes the bones to deteriorate and die, fibrous dysplasia, and brittle bone disease.
- Injuries: many body injuries can affect the bones, muscles, cartilage, and connective tissues ranging from overuse (such as carpal tunnel or tendonitis) to activity-based injuries like sprains, fractures, or muscle tears.
Make an Appointment with our Musculoskeletal Specialists
If you’ve suffered any of the symptoms listed above, we encourage you to make an appointment with our musculoskeletal specialists!
We at Proliance Pacific Rim Orthopedic Surgeons strive to help our patients achieve a return to normal activity through compassionate and exceptional care using evidence-based medicine in a patient-friendly environment. We are committed to bringing you a high standard of care that is patient-focused, with the goal of improving your quality of life.