Musculoskeletal Tissues

Musculoskeletal Tissues

The tissues which provide structure to the body and enable movement are part of the musculoskeletal system. The tissues in the this system include the bones, cartilage, joint, tendons, ligaments and muscles. In this section we will examine each of these types of tissues, so that in the next section on locomotion, we can understand how these structures work together to bring about movement.

• Bone: hard mineralized tissue that determines the structure of the body and provides attachments for muscles.
• Cartilage: flexible connective tissue that is usually found in many areas of the body including the joints between bones.
• Joints: region where bones meet, a variety of joint types allow for a range of movements in a number of different planes.
• Ligament: tissue that connects bones to other bones.
• Tendons: fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone and transfers the force generated by the muscles into skeletal movement.
• Muscles: made up of fibres that are capable of contraction and therefore capable of bringing about movement.