What is the Musculoskeletal System?

1. • Your musculoskeletal system is made up of 206 bones, around 600 muscles, over 900 ligaments, more than 4,000 tendons and 3 different types of cartilage.

   • Don't worry, you don't need to know them all!

The Skeleton System

1. • Function of the Skeleton:

1. Support- Bones provide the shape of your body

2. Movement- Bones facilitate movement as they serve as attachment points for muscles to connect to bone

3. Protection of internal organs- Many bones like the cranium (Skull) protects the brain for injury

4. Storage and production of minerals- the bones store and release calcium, iron, potassium and phosphorus when the body requires them

5. Red blood cell production- some bones like the pelvis, sternum (breastbone), humerus (upper arm bone) and the femur (thigh bone) contain bone marrow which produces red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, which are all important in the healing process

1. • The skeleton is split into 2 main sections:

1. The Axial Skeleton- central core of the skeleton made up of the skull, vertebrae, ribs and the sternum.

2. The Appendicular Skeleton- makes up the extremities of the body (upper and lower limbs).

The Major Bones- Skeletal Bones video will help explain the skeletal anatomy.

Muscles

There are 3 types of muscles in the body:

1. Skeletal- these muscles are part of the musculoskeletal system and are voluntary muscles

2. Cardiac- these muscles are found in your heart walls and help the heart contract to pump blood around the body, you can't control these muscles

3. Smooth- these muscles are found in your organs and help your respiratory and digestive system and are involuntary

For this section we will focus on the Skeletal Muscles.

The major muscles video will help you understand the muscles as well as some terminology making it easier to remember the location of muscles.

How does a muscle work?

Watch these videos on how a muscle works and try to draw a diagram and explain in your own words how it works. Don't get too overloaded/ focus on the terminology, just try to understand the basic structure and difference between a motor neuron and unit.

2 minute Neuroscience- the neuron will help to explain how a muscles works

Your turn

Find out a bit about:

1. Hard tissue injuries like fractures, dislocations

2. Soft tissue injuries like sprains, strains, tendonitis, bursitis

3. Osteoarthritis/ Rheumatoid Arthritis

4. Osteoporosis

5. Joint replacements

6. Lower back pain

7. Frozen Shoulder

What is your cardiovascular system?

Your cardiovascular system is made up of your heart, blood vessels and blood. Its main function is to transport oxygenated blood and nutrients to the body and deliver deoxygenated blood and waste products back to the lungs.

The British Heart Foundation- How a healthy heart works video explains the pathway of blood through the heart.

• 4 major functions of the cardiovascular system?

1. To transport nutrients, gases and waste products around the body

2. To protect the body from infection and blood loss

3. To help the body maintain a constant body temperature

4. To help maintain fluid balance within the body

• Components of the Cardiovascular System

• The heart- A muscular pump that contracts and forces blood out of the heart and to the rest of the body

• Arteries- Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart- all but the pulmonary artery carries oxygenated blood to the heart

• Veins- Blood vessels that carry blood to the heart- all but the pulmonary vein carry deoxygenated blood to the heart

• Capillaries- Tiny blood vessels that branch off from arteries to deliver blood to all bodily tissues and join together to form veins

The blood vessels video explains the structure and function of arteries, veins and capillaries.

There are 2 blood circulatory systems:

1. Systemic circulatory system- the main blood circulatory system that transports oxygenated blood to the organs, tissues, and cells throughout the body

2. Pulmonary circulatory system- circulatory system moves blood between the heart and lungs, it is where oxygen enters the blood and carbon dioxide leaves the blood

The Cardiac Conduction System

The heart is myogenic which means the signal for the heart to contract comes from within the heart itself. The Cardiac Conduction System initiates and controls the muscular contraction of the heart. It consist of:

• Sinoatrial node (SA Node)

• Atrioventricular node (AV node)

• Bundle of His (Located in the septum of the heart)

• Purkinje Fibres

The Cardiac conduction system video explains how this system works.

Top Tip:

LORD can help you remember the different side of the heart

L- Left (side of the heart)

O- Oxygenated (blood out of the heart)

R- Right (side of the heart)

D- Deoxygenated (blood enters the heart)

Your turn:

• Find out more about:

1. What happens when you have a Myocardial Infarction (Heart attack)?

2. What is Coronary Heart Disease?

3. How does the heart beat- look at the cardiac conduction system?

4. Find normal values for resting and heart rate, blood pressure, stroke volume and cardiac output? Think about why and how these can change?

5. Understand what Angina, a cardiac arrest and Atrial Fibrillation is?

What is the respiratory system?

The Respiratory system is made up of different structures and tissues that help you breath. It is formed of your lungs, airways and blood vessels. Your muscular system also helps your respiratory system and additional muscles help you breath during exercise.

The Respiratory system video is good video that explains the anatomy and structure of the respiratory system. There is a lot of extra Information towards the end which is optional to know.

• Functions of the Respiratory System

Besides helping you inhale (breath in) and exhale (breath out), it;

• Allows you to talk and smell

• Warms and humidifies air to match your body temperature

• Delivers O2 to your cells and muscles

• Removes waste gases like carbon dioxide, during expiration

• Protects your airways from harmful substances and irritants like viruses and dust

Gaseous Exchange

Gaseous exchange is the process of oxygen and carbon dioxide move between the lungs and bloodstreams. This is the primary function of the respiratory system and occurs through the process of diffusion. This occurs in the many alveoli's at the very bottom of the lungs and needs to ensure their is a constant supply of O2 to the muscles and removal of C02.

The gaseous exchange video explains this well.

Mucociliary Escalator

The Mucociliary Escalator is the term for the apparatus of mucus and cilia; responsible for movement of mucus up and out of the respiratory tract; mucus traps particles and cilia propel mucus up and out of the lungs.

The mucociliary escalator is a major barrier against infection. In the healthy lung, microorganisms (approximately 100,000 bacteria per day) can be effectively cleared by this mechanism.

The Respiratory Cilia is a short introduction to this system.

Your turn:

• Find out more about:

1. Asthma

2. Pneumonia

3. COPD

4. Bronchitis

5. Cystic Fibrosis

6. Normal values for breathing frequency, tidal volume and minute ventilation

7. Pneumothorax- Collapsed Lung

What is the Nervous System?

The Nervous System is your body's command centre and is a complex network or nerves and cells that deliver messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to every other part of the body.

• It consists of 2 main parts:

1. The Central Nervous System (CNS) is made up of the brain and spinal cord

2. The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) consists of many nerves that branch from the spinal cord to various parts of the body

• What does the Nervous System do?

1. Controls the body's internal state to maintain homeostasis

2. Programming of spinal cord reflexes

3. Memory and learning

4. Voluntary control of movement

The Nervous System video is a quick overview to help you understand.

The Brain

The brain is one of the most complex and largest organs in the human body. It is made up of more than 100 billion nerves that communicate with 3 trillion connections called synapses.

The brain is surrounded by a thin layer of tissue called the meninges which is surrounded by the cranium (skull) for protection from injury. It plays a crucial part in the nervous system so understanding it in more depth is very important.

• The brain has 2 hemispheres (left and right) which both contain a:

1. Frontal Lobe

2. Pariental Lobe

3. Temporal Lobe

4. Occipital Lobe

Introduction to the brain helps explain the different sections of the brain as well as the many different roles they have.

Reflex Arc

Automatic and involuntary responses from the nervous system are called reflexes. A reflex arc consists of the neurons that mediate the responce to an internal or external stimulus e.g. change in body temperature or something sharp/hot.

Reflex actions are fast and involve no conscious thought from the brain as sensory information is relayed directly to the motor neurons within the spinal cord. This then causes a responce from the body whether its due to a stimulus or pain.

The Reflex Arc video helps explain this.

Your turn:

• Find out more about:

1. What symptoms/ problems people would have if they had a problem with a specific lobe/ structure of the brain- Try to complete all 4 lobes and other structures like cerebellum and brainstem

2. Strokes- Ischemic/ Haemorrhage

3. Multiple Sclerosis

4. Parkinson's

5. Alzheimer's Disease

6. Concussion

7. What Inter Cranial pressure (ICP) is?

8. What are intervertebral discs?

What is the Digestive System?

The digestive system is a series of hollow organs connected together to form a long twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. The digestive processes are ingestion, propulsion, mechanical digestion, chemical digestion, absorption and defecation.

The digestive system is important because your body needs nutrients from food and drink in order to stay healthy and function. Your body uses nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and minerals for vital bodily functions like energy, growth and repairing cells.

• What organs make up the Digestive System?

1. Mouth

2. Oesophagus

3. Stomach

4. Small Intestine

5. Large Intestine

6. Anus

The liver, pancreas and gallbladder are the solid organs that aid the digestive system.

The digestive system video explains the structure and functions of the organs in the system.

Enzymes

There are many digestive enzymes.

• The main digestive enzymes made in the pancreas include:

1. Amylase (made in the mouth, small intestine and pancreas; breaks down complex carbohydrates like starch )

2. Lipase (made in the pancreas and small intestine; breaks down fats/ lipids)

3. Protease (made in the pancreas, stomach and small intestine; breaks down proteins)

• Some other common enzymes are made in the small intestine including:

1. Lactase (breaks down lactose)

2. Sucrase (breaks down sucrose)

Your turn

• Find out about:

1. Macro and Mirco nutrients

2. Constipation symptoms/ causes

3. Diarrhoea symptoms/ causes

4. Food intolerances

5. Diet and Diabetes

6. Eating Disorders like Anorexia and Bulimia

7. Celiac's Disease

Key Terms

Abduction: The movement of a limb or other part away from the midline of the body, or from another part.

Adduction: The movement of a limb or other part towards the midline of the body or towards another part.

Anterior: Towards the front of the body

Bilaterally: Involves both sides

Bursa: Fluid filled sacs to provide cushioning between bony prominences and soft tissues

Concentric: Muscles shorten to generate force

Congruency: How well two joint surfaces relate to one another, this takes into consideration the shape and contour of the two bones at the points that they articulate

Eccentric: Elongation of the muscle while it is still generating force, can be used to slow down muscle elongation against gravity

Extension: Increasing the angle between two body parts

External rotation: Rotation away from the axis of the body

Flexion: Decreasing the angle between two body parts

Goniometer: Tool to measure angles, can be used to evaluate an individuals range of movement

Internal rotation: Rotation towards the axis of the body

Joint capsule: Envelope surrounding a synovial joint, made up of an outer fibrous layer or membrane, and an inner synovial layer or membrane

Pelvic tilt: Related to the angle at which the pelvis is sitting, can be rotated forward (anterior tilt) or backwards (posterior tilt)

Posterior: Towards back of body

Synovial fluid: Viscous fluid in synovial fluid that reduces friction between the articular cartilage

Synovial membrane: A layer of connective tissues lining the cavities of joints, tendon sheaths, and bursa

Unilateral: Involves one side