Oasis Physical Therapy
By Aliah Curry, PT, DPT and Nicholas Pulaski, EMT
The human body is made up of several interconnected systems, including:
- Skeletal system: Provides support and protects internal organs.
- Muscular system: Responsible for movement and body posture.
- Nervous system: Controls and coordinates the body’s functions and responses to stimuli.
- Endocrine system: Regulates the secretion of hormones.
- Circulatory system: Transport oxygen, nutrients and hormones to cells and waste products away from cells.
- Respiratory system: Brings oxygen into the body and removes carbon dioxide.
- Digestive system: Breaks down food and absorbs nutrients.
- Immune system: Protects the body from diseases and infections.
- Urinary system: Filters waste products from the blood and excretes them as urine.
- Integumentary system (skin, hair, and nails): Protects the body and helps regulate temperature.
Our focus for the articles for the near future will be the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems.
The musculoskeletal system is responsible for connecting the body from the ground up. The body’s structure is supported by bones, which are connected by joints, and are moved by muscles.
Muscles attach to bones via tendons and contract to cause movement at the joints. This allows the body to maintain posture, stability, and support movement. The lower extremities, such as the feet and legs, are connected to the ground and provide a base of support.
The bones of the feet and legs, such as the tibia, fibula, and femur, are connected by joints such as the ankle, knee, and hip. The muscles of the legs, such as the quadriceps and hamstrings, work together to move the joints and support the body’s weight. The spine and pelvis connect the legs to the rest of the body and provide a stable base for the torso and upper extremities to move.
To begin to understand the importance of this connection between your feet, all the way up to your head, we will lay the foundation for the articles to follow. Look for our next article regarding the importance of your feet and how it all starts there, to move this thing we call our body!
