ABSTRACT
The skeleton provides physical support and protection for internal organs and, through the actions of muscles, enables movement. It also acts as a reservoir for minerals, particularly calcium. The structure of bone confers ‘strength with lightness’, so that transporting the skeleton around is not a metabolic burden. As people age, bone strength decreases and bones become more fragile, with an increased propensity to fracture. Low muscle strength and poor balance in elderly people compound this problem by increasing the likelihood of a fall that may precipitate a fracture. This chapter reviews the evidence concerning the role of physical activity in skele-
Introduction 184 ❚
Biology of bone 185 ❚
Summary 200 ❚
Study tasks 201 ❚
Further reading 201 ❚
tal health. Knowledge of the anatomy of bone – as an organ and as a tissue – helps us to understand how different types of activity affect its load-bearing competence. The first section therefore provides revision of the basic anatomy of bone and some aspects of its physiology.
