Information on the Physiology of Exercise

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Unit 7

Information on the Physiology of Exercise

Faraz Ijaz

The Skeletal System

The human skeletal system has four main features, these are:

* Protection

* Support

* Movement and attachment

* Blood Protection

There are two main parts of the skeletal system. The axial skeleton; which consists of the skull, vertebral column, ribs and sternum, and the appendicular skeleton; which consists of the arms, shoulder griddle, legs and hip griddle. The main function of the axial skeleton is to support the body, to allow it to stand and to maintain a form. The main function of the appendicular skeleton is to allow for movement of the limbs.

These two sections of the skeleton combined make the body able to stand and to move. The skeleton now serves two more functions related to sport, to protect vital organs and to produce blood.

Protection

For protection we rely on our skeleton, because this is hard. Our bones are made up of water, collagen, calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate and fluoride salts. The calcium in our bones helps to strengthen the bones, such as the ribs. The ribs are made up of hard bone that is not meant to flex, however it expands to allow for the lungs to inflate and deflate. They provide support and protection to vital organs such as the heart and lungs.

Our skull is meant to protect the brain, eyes and ears, the cranium only protects unlike the ribs, which support and protect vital organs. The skull is made up of hard bones; joints join these bones with fibrous joints, these are non-moveable joints, and so do not allow for any type of movement. The skull in effect is a shell to protect our brain, eyes and ears.

Support

As I have explained above the skeleton is divided into two parts the axial and appendicular skeletal system. The axial system provides the support it needs to stand up, hence the word axial, coming from the word axis. Support is provided by the vertebral column, this is widely known as the backbone or the spine. This provides the body with its straight back and gives us most of our shape. All of the moving bones in our body link up to the vertebral column in some way.

In football the use of the skeleton is essential as the goalie must stand, using the whole skeleton, and block the ball with either the arms or legs.

In our body we have different types of bones, they are all made for different purposes:

Features

Purpose

Example

Long bones

Hollow centre, (diaphysis)

Height, shoe size

Collar bone, ribs and metatarsals

Short bones

Small and Squat

Carpals and tarsal

The Carpals and tarsal in the hands and feet

Flat bones

Spongy and Flat

Cushioning effect

The scapula, pelvis and cranium

Irregular bones

Spongy in and outside compact bone

The patella and vertebrae.

The patella and vertebrae

Wormian Bones

Small and irregular

Act as wedges

Cranial sutures or joints

Sesamoid Bones

Small and irregular.

Inside tendons

Allow the tendons to slide over joints

Patella

Front view

. Skull

4. Sternum

7. Radius

0. Sacrum

3. Phalanges

6. Fibula

9. Coccyx

22. Metatarsus

Rear view

2. Mandible

5. Ribs

8. Ulna

1. Carpus

4. Femur

7. Scapula

20. Patella

23. Phalanges

Side view

3. Clavicle

6. Humerus

9. Hip bone

2. Metacarpus

5. Tibia

8. Spinal vertebrae

21. Tarsus

Blood Production

As seen above the blood is produced by the skeletal system. Blood is produced through a system called Haematopoiesis. This system manufactures new blood cells in the bone marrow. Four types of blood cells are made from a multi-potential cell in this process:

. Erythrocytes - Red Blood Cells

2. Granulocytes - White Blood Cells

3. Agranulocytes - White Blood Cells

4. Platelets - White Blood Cells

The erythrocytes or red blood cells as they are widely known are the cells that carry oxygen and carbon dioxide in and around the body. These blood cells contain haemoglobin; this gives the blood its red colour. The surface of the cells carry antigens, this is the factor that determines a persons blood type or classification.

I will explain how the gaseous exchange takes place and how blood is circulated around the body in the cardio vascular section, because blood is a vital part of this.

Movement

As I have explained earlier the movement is done by the appendicular skeletal system. For movement to occur in the body, bones and muscles must work together, as bones are the structure, muscles are the strength by which movement is possible.

If bones allow for movement then they must have muscles attached to them, and pivot on a movable joint. Muscles are attached to bones by tendons; this is a strap or cord like connection, which is flexible and very strong.

Some joints do not allow for movement such as the fibrous joints that form the skull. I have given details of this below in the list of joints.

For free movement to occur synovial joints are used. All synovial joints allow free movement in the shape they are in. Where there is movement there is bound to be a level of wear and tear, to minimise this, joints have cartilage and synovial fluid.

Here is a list of the different joints in the human body:

* Ball and Socket Joints

* Hinge Joint

* Pivot Joint

* Saddle Joints

* Condyloid Joint

* Sliding Joint

* Fibrous Joint

* Cartilaginous Joint

These following are examples of the joints and their application to sport:

* Ball and Socket Joint

Ball and socket joints can be found at the shoulders linking the humerous and the scapula together or the hips linking the fibula and the hip bone together.

Hips Shoulder

Shoulder

For the shoulder to move the arm across the chest the pectoral muscles contract and the latissimus muscle relaxes. This movement happens when someone hits the ball.

Hips

For the leg to move forward to hit the ball the quadriceps contracts and the hamstrings relax, this will cause the leg to move on the ball and socket joint. This movement happens when kicking a ball.

* Hinge Joint

Hinge joints can be best explained if compared to a door hinge. These can be found in the elbow linking the Humerus to the ulna or the knee linking the femur to the tibia.

Elbow Knee

Elbow

For the arms to bend to a 90 degree angle or to flex, the following muscles work, the biceps contract and the triceps relax.

In tennis the elbow plays a big part in the swing to hit the ball with the racket, the shoulder does most of the work and the elbow bends before the point of impact to improve the hit of the ball.

Knee

For the knee to bend to a ninety degree angle the hamstrings contract, quadriceps relax which causes the knee joint to bend.

When someone jumps the knees bend and then straighten quickly to shift the weight on the body fast to lift it off the ground.

* Pivot Joint

* Saddle Joint

The base of the thumb this is the only saddle joint in the body.

* Condyloid Joint

Base of the Skull 1

* Gliding Joint

In the hands and the foot.

The hands and feet are crucial in any type of sport as the feet are the initial balancing mechanism we have, and our hands allow us to grip to items. Our hands allow us to hold onto the tennis racket, our feet allow us to balance ourselves in football as when we kick the ball we are only connecting to the ground momentarily with one foot.

Levers

Above I have explained how our body moves around; we move around to enable us to be mobile and to do activities. Certain activities require our muscles to work antagonistically, and our bones to work as levers. An example of this can be playing tennis where our arm is bent slightly this gives a spring effect to provide power in hitting the ball with the tennis racket.

This is a clearer and more referable picture or what our joints resemble in our day to day life and where they are located around our bodies:

These are the following movements that are involved in sports

Movement

Explanation

Example

Extension

This is where the arm straightens at the elbow.

To throw a punch after point of impact.

Flexion

This is where the arm bends at the elbow.

Bringing arm back after punch.

Abduction

This is where a limb moves away from the body.

Adduction

This is where a limb moves towards the body.

Rotation
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Circumduction

This is where a body part moves in a circle.

Hyperextension

Muscles

I have shown above the link between the muscular system and the skeletal system, and how the muscles are attached. I will now elaborate on this further; how these work in sport, as we know muscles are the moving force by which the body creates movement. By contracting and relaxing muscles move the bones that they are attached to.

There are three types of muscles in the human body, they all have different function, and they work coherently to make ...

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