The bones of the skeleton are rigid and solid which provides a framework for the muscles and other tissues to attach to which will hold up upright and hold the rest of the body in position.

The skeleton will give our bodies the correct shape and will determine the height of an individual and size of their body parts (i.e. hands, arms and legs). 

The skeleton allows movement of the body as a whole or of specific, individual parts. The bones provide a point of attachment for the muscles. The joints between bones then act as levers and when the muscles contract and pull on the bone movement is created.

Some bones of the skeleton protect the vital organs and reduce the risk of injury from any external force or impact. They do this by creating a barrier or shield around particular organs. For example, the cranium will protect the brain, the ribs offer protection to the heart and lungs and the vertebrae will protect the spinal cord. This function is particularly important if participating in sports where there is lots of contact.

Certain bones in the skeleton contain bone marrow which produces red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The red blood cells are important as they carry oxygen around our body and the white blood cells help to fight of bacteria and infect. Examples of bones that contain marrow are the pelvis, sternum, humerus and femur.

The bones themselves are made of minerals and act as a mineral store for minerals such as calcium, iron, potassium and phosphorous. The bones will then release these minerals into the blood when the body needs to use them.

These bones are longer than they are wide. Their primary function is for gross movement and act as levers. Some examples of this type of bone are the clavicle, humerus, femur, metacarpals, metatarsals. 

These bones are as wide as they are long. They are generally cube shaped. Their primary function is for fine motor movement, stability and support with little movement. They also help to absorb shock forces. Some examples of this type of bone are the carpals and tarsals.

These bones are thin with a large surface area and provide a broad flat surface. Their primary function is for protection and provide a large surface for muscle attachment. Some examples of this type of bone are the ribs, sternum and scapula.

These bones all have a specific shape so can not be classified as long, short, flat or sesamoid due to their complex shapes. Their functions therefore are very unique but they help provide support/shape and protection. An example of this type of bone is the vertebrae.

These bones are embedded in tendon or muscle. Their function is to relieve stress on tendons and muscles. An example of this type of bone is the patella.

A hinge joint is where the bones in the joint are shaped so that movement is only possible along one plane (sagittal plane) so only forwards and backwards motion possible. The knee and elbow are both examples of hinge joints.

A ball and socket joint is the most freely-moveable joint in the human body. It has 360o movement so movement along all planes (sagittal, frontal and transverse planes) is possible. This joint is found at the shoulders and the hips.

A pivot joint is where the rounded end of one bone fits into a ring formed by the other bone. This allows movement around one plane (transverse plane) so rotational or turning movements can occur. The joints between the vertebrae re examples of a pivot joint so rotating the head is possible.

The wrist is a condyloid joint. The curved surface of the carpal bones (small bones in the hand) joins with the radius of the forearm. This joint allows the wrist to move from side to side as well as forwards and backwards. 

The thumb forms a saddle joint. With this type of joint, one of the bones forming the joint is shaped liked a saddle with the other bone resting on it like a rider on a horse. This type of joint allows your thumb to move towards your fingers.  

A gliding joint allows some limited side to side and back and forth movements between the almost flat surfaces of the bones in the joint. The joints between the carpals in the hand/wrist are a gliding joints. The small movements between these bones allow for greater dexterity and help to absorb impact forces.