Musculoskeletal Podcast:
Diseases and prevention
Script:
Jhazid:What is the function of the musculoskeletal system?
Gonzalo:To make every move from your body possible.
Jhazid:ButÉ. How is it possible?
Gonzalo:Well,bones in the body have a link with a variety of muscles. This relationship results in voluntary movement within the body. The brain sends nerve impulses to the muscles to cause movement
Jhazid:So, there are two systems right?
Gonzalo:Yes, the muscular and the skeletal. The first one allows our body to move, as we move our fingers or legs, this are voluntary muscles, and involuntary muscles are the ones that keep our heart pumping, and our eyes holding moisture. There are 3 types of muscle tissues:, smooth, cardiac, and skeletal. Smooth muscle fibers are involuntary, not striated and are located on the walls of visceral organs, except the heart. Cardiac muscle cells are involuntary, striated and is located on the walls of the heart. And the last one, the skeletal muscle fibers are striated, voluntary and are the ones attached to the skeleton. Healthy muscles contract quickly, are elastic, extensible and have a rich supply of blood that provides it with oxygen and nutrients.
Jhazid:What about the second system?
Gonzalo:The skeletal system is made up of bones, and provides an structure in which all the other systems work. Bones have ligaments and cartilage that are used to attach bones together and make them work properly. Many of the body's bones contain marrow, there is red and yellow marrow. Red marrow produces blood cells and the yellow one stores fat that can be used as an energy reserve. This system also provides protection for your organs.
Jhazid:Now I understand that both of these systems depend on each other to provide movement. Without one the other doesnÕt work, and without them we wouldnÕt work. But, how exactly does a muscle move?
Gonzalo:Threw muscle contraction, the main unit of this process is sarcomere; this is made up of filaments, which are myosin and actin. In order to make muscle contraction, these filaments slide over each other from opposing sides pulling both walls of the sarcomere towards each other. That pulls the end of the sarcomere together causing the muscle contraction. In skeletal muscle; this contraction is gotten by impulses carried by nerves. In cardiac and smooth muscles, the contractions are achieved by internal pacemaker cells, which are involuntary
.Jhazid:Thanks, now I understand how important this complex and amazing system. But, how can I take good care of it?
Gonzalo: Well, to have a healthy skeletal system you must consume food rich in calcium, get vitamin D, and perform weight-bearing exercise. With this you can prevent common diseases as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.
Jhazid:What about the muscular system?
Gonzalo:In the muscular system, you can get tendinitis, muscle cramps and sprains. All this problems can be prevented by avoiding the overusing of muscles, repetitive movements and by doing strength-training exercises
.Jhazid:All right, I think will be more careful from now on.