The bones that make up the human skeleton provide the body with structural support and protect the organs and other soft internal tissues. Human bones also store calcium, which is important for bone strength and body health. Keeping your bones strong is vital to keeping your skeleton functioning and healthy as you age.
Number
The adult human skeleton contains 206 different bones, ranging from the large, recognizable bones that make up the bulk of the skeleton, such as leg and arm bones, to tiny bones in the ears, such as the anvil and hammer. Humans are born with more than 300 bones, but many of them fuse together as people age. The hands and feet contain more than half of the bones in the adult body, with 54 total in the wrists, hands and fingers, and 52 in the ankles, feet and toes.
Composition
The hard, smooth part of the bone is the compact bone, which is responsible for the structure and support of the body. The outside of a bone is covered with a membrane called the periosteum, which provides the bone with blood for nourishment. Spongy bone called the cancellous bone makes up the inner layers of every bone. The innermost layers of most bones are made up of bone marrow, a gelatinous material that produces blood cells.
Identification
Identifying and studying the bones in the human body help researchers learn more about the ways bones grow and function, which can help with developing new treatment and prevention methods for bone problems and diseases. Forensic scientists often need to identify bones to help solve crimes.
Once a researcher or scientist identifies a bone as human, he may perform other observations, measurements and tests to determine how old the bone is, whether it belonged to a male or female, and whether the bone sustained any damage when the person was alive. Many bones change shape as people age, helping identify whether a bone belonged to a child, adolescent or adult. Male bones are often larger and longer than female bones, and researchers may compare bone sizes to standard gender measurements to help identify them.
Bone Problems
Many bone diseases and other problems lead to a weakening of the bones, making them brittle. Bones can also develop cancer. One of the most common bone problems is osteoporosis, a condition that causes the bones to deteriorate and lose mass. As many as half of all women and 25 percent of men older than 50 will break a bone at some point due to osteoporosis, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Other bone problems, such as osteogenesis imperfect and Paget's disease, can make your bones brittle and likely to break.
Bone Health
While some bone problems are hereditary, you can help reduce your risk of osteoporosis and other bone problems by keeping your skeletal system healthy. Calcium is extremely important for healthy bones, especially for growing children and older adults.
Dairy products, dark green vegetables and calcium-fortified foods, such as orange juice and certain kinds of bread and tofu, are all excellent sources of calcium. You also should get enough vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium so that your bones can use it.
Engaging in regular weight-bearing physical activity, such as jogging and team sports, can help strengthen your bones. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week for adults and 60 minutes for children.
