In 2010, the International Obesity Task Force reported that nearly 475 million adults worldwide were obese. Documentation of obesity didn't start to surface until the early 1600s, but physical evidence of its presence can be seen nearly 12,000...
Anthropometry, the science of body composition analysis, makes use of dozens of methods for measuring and comparing human body types. While many complicated measurement systems are used, such as the somatotype distribution index and the O-scale...
The term pes anserinus is Latin for "goose's foot." The pes anserinus, located near the knee, is a group of three tendons that come together to a common point on the side of the knee. Apparently, early anatomists thought that this tendon group...
The arm has a complex system of muscles that work together as a group to flex the arm, elbow and wrist, enabling you to perform precise movements such as picking up an object or writing. If the arm has been in a cast intended to protect broken...
The phrase, "I think therefore I am," written by Rene Descartes in 1637, expressed the philosophy at that time in history. According to "Memory: From Mind to Molecules," the statement proved to be incorrect from biological studies in the 20th...
Nearly every morning you wake up and have to wipe the sleep from your eyes, sometimes literally. Although the weird crusty substance has many names, it is not really the result of the sandman's careless aim or any other mythical concoctions, it is...
Sprinting uses the same muscles as running, but requires that they are considerably more limber for short bursts of speed while avoiding injury. Running is powered by the legs, hips and glutes, so training the same muscles with a focus on speed...
Your calf muscles are in the posterior part of your lower leg, between the back of your knee and your heel. The muscles are naturally diamond-shaped, wider where they attach near the posterior knee and tapering down into the Achilles tendon where...
In order to categorize the spinal nerves, anatomists divide the vertebral column into four distinct areas, referred to as the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral regions of the spine. Dr. Ralph Rashburn of Spine-Health states that 31 pairs of...
Life, clearly, is in the blood. As a transport mechanism for waste products, life-sustaining oxygen and nutrients, normal blood flow is essential to your health. That's why the different parts of your heart continuously beat in unison, receiving...
Your joints are dynamic structures, constantly challenged by the forces of gravity and repetitive movement. They are also relatively isolated from the rest of your body, their demand for adequate nutrition being offset by a need to exclude...
Most often misspelled Merkle cell carcinoma (MCC), this is the most aggressive of the three types of skin cancers. Named after the German anatomist and pathologist Friedrich Sigmund Merkel, who discovered these "touch" cells in 1875, this...
The adult human skeletal system consists of 206 bones made up of calcium, phosphorous, sodium, and the protein collagen. Exercise can lead to a number of different impacts on the bone's construction, and when prescribed and executed appropriately,...
The primary, or central, lymphoid organs are the thymus and bone marrow, according to microbiologybytes.com. They are part of a broader lymphatic system made up of lymph nodes, tonsils, the spleen, and Peyer's patches in the intestinal wall. The...
As the name implies, restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a condition where you feel a distressing urge to move your legs. The condition has been recognized as a health problem for centuries and was first mentioned in medical writings by 17th century...
Billions of structures that fall into four major categories combine to make up the human body. The four basic parts of the human anatomy include tissue, cells, organs and systems. Life begins with a basic cell and continues to grow by forming new...
Having a healthy pregnancy is about caring for your body and mind in a manner that gives your baby the best start in life. If exercise was part of your stay-healthy regimen before you became pregnant, continuing to exercise offers many benefits to...
Electrical muscle stimulation devices promise to provide toning, reduce body fat and improve overall strength. The scientific studies behind EMS technology began in 1780 when an anatomist discovered that applying an electrical current to a frog's...
Hearing a clicking sound or feeling a popping when performing leg raises can be alarming. In many cases, the clicking is nothing to worry about, but it can be a sign of impending inflammation or popping hip syndrome. If you experience clicking in...
The pancreas is an important organ that plays a vital role in regulating your blood sugar levels. If your pancreas develops problems, it can lead to inflammation and even pancreatic cancer, which has one of the lowest cancer cure rates. Although a...
