Our muscular system and
skeletal system work together to allow our body to move and function. Our
muscles are made up of thousands of thin, long, cylindrical cells called
muscles fibres. We have muscles of different shape and size, depending on their
duty. Our body has about 620 muscles, and they are controlled by our nervous
system. The energy needed by the muscles to work is supplied by oxygen and
nutrients in the blood. All our body movements, from blinking or smiling to running
and jumping, are made by muscles.
Muscles are divided
into three types called skeletal, smooth and cardiac. Skeletal muscles that are
usually connected to our bones (like the ones in arms and legs) help us to move
them. These muscles are voluntary, meaning that we decide when to move them.
The smooth muscles, which are found inside the organs such as stomach and
intestines, are involuntary. This means that these muscles are works
automatically under the control of the autonomic part of our nervous system,
and we often do not realize that they are at work. The cardiac muscles, which
are also involuntary, are found only in our heart.
Our skeletal system which is our body’s framework is made up of bones, ligaments, and tendons. An adult person has 206 bones. Babies are bone with as many as 270 small and soft bones. But when they grow, some these bones join together. Our largest bone is the thigh bone (femur) and the smallest bone (the stapes), which is about 3mm long, is found in the middle ear. Our skeletal system also shapes our body and protects many of our internal organs. In addition, marrow (a types of soft and fatty tissue) that produces red blood cells, white blood cells etc, is found inside the bones.
Cells are the basic, smallest
and microscopic building blocks of all living things. Our body has billions of
such tiny cells. Tissues too are formed by the cylindrical cells called muscles
fibres and are differently called as muscular, nervous, connective etc depending
on what they do. Ligaments are strong and flexible bands of connective tissue
that connect bones together. Tendons too are strong bands of tissues that
connect muscles and bones.
Certain type of exercise, like bodybuilding, weight lifting etc greatly help to build up the size and strength of our muscles but in return, reduce our flexibility, which is a must for long lasting health. The soft and relaxing way of practicing yoga postures generally does not build up the size of muscles but it makes all our muscles strong, flexible and healthy by providing sufficient blood circulation through them. Moreover, it greatly increase movement of joints (joints mobility) making our joints more suitable to our daily activities, sports, and accidents such as falling, slipping, tripping over something etc.