Find Chiropractors and Family Chiropractic Clinics in Missouri
Search Yext Chiropractors for an up-to-date and complete listing of chiropractors in Missouri. Type in your zipcode to find a chiropractor near you.
Find MO Chiropractors and Family Chiropractic Clinics in Missouri
Browse By City
Browse By Neighborhood in St Louis
Browse By County
The Skeletal System
There are 206 bones in the human skeletal system, but humans start out with around 270 bones. Some bones in a newborn are flexible and attached with cartilage to allow for growth. They fuse together as the child grows. Bones of the body vary in size and shape. The largest bone is the femur (thigh bone); the smallest is the stirrup bone located in the ear. Knowing your bone structure is key knowledge to have as well as many occupations automatically require being educated in this area such as doctors, nurses and chiropractors.
The human skeleton gives the body support and structure. It protects vital organs, including the brain, which is protected by the skull, and the heart and lungs, which are shielded by the ribs and sternum. The ribs and pelvis provide support for internal organs and anchor them in place.
The interior of bones is a complex structure. Bones are made of water, tissue and minerals, including calcium. Inside the bone is bone marrow, a jelly-like substance. Bone marrow produces blood cells. Bones get oxygen, minerals and nutrition through blood vessels that run through the center of the bones.
Skull and upper jaw
The skull contains 14 facial bones and 8 cranial bones. The bones form the cranial cavity where the brain is located, nasal cavity, brow ridges, eye orbits roof of the nasal cavity. Facial characteristics are determined by the features of the bones in the skull. Facial bones form the upper and lower jaw, cheek bones and nose.
Ear
Ear bones are the smallest in the body and include the malleus, stapes (also called the stirrups bone because of its shape) and incus. They are hinged together and carry vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. Inside the inner ear is the cochlea, a bone that turns sounds into nerve impulses, the utricle and the saccule.
Front neck bone
The bone located in the front of the neck is called the hyoid bone. It is located between the larynx and mandible, and does not connect to other bones, but to muscles and ligaments.
Backbone or spine
The spine is made up of 33 bones called vertebrae. They are connected in the front of the spine by discs that allow the spine to move and provide support. Various muscles and ligaments attach to the back of the spine to allow for movement.
Ribs
Ribs are curved bones that form a cage to protect the lungs, heart, lungs and other internal organs.Twelve pairs of ribs connect to the vertebra in the spine. Seven ribs attach through cartilage to the sternum (breastbone). The other five pair do not attach to the sternum directly but attach to the ribs above with cartilage.
Upper limbs
Each upper limb has 32 bones. The upper limb includes the clavicle and scapula (shoulder bones), humerus (arm), the radius and ulna (forearm). The wrists and hands contain 27 bones, which include 8 carpal or wrist bones, 5 metacarpals in the wrist, and 14 phalanges or finger bones. The thumb has two bones. All the other fingers have three bones.
Lower limbs
Each lower limb has 31 bones. The femur or thigh bone connects to the pelvis. The lower leg bones are the fibula and tibia. The patella, or kneecap, is located between the femur and fibula. There are 26 bones in the ankle and foot, which includes the 7 tarsal bones of the ankle – similar in structure to the carpals of the wrist. M etatarsal bones make up the foot, with each bone joining to the toe or phalanges bones. Like the fingers, each toe contains 3 phalanges, except for the big toe, which only has two.
Most bones attach to other bones with joints and cartilage. The joints and cartilage, along with muscles that attach to bones, allow for movement and flexibility.