What is the function of bones and joints? Dietary supplements and vitamins to support them

Bones, joints and muscles, together with tendons, cartilage and connective tissue, make up the musculoskeletal system.

What is the biomechanical function of bones and joints?

The skeleton is the support of the body not only of humans but also of all vertebrates. The skeleton consists of bones, joints and ligaments.

Bones give the body its shape, keep the body upright and protect internal organs such as the heart, lungs and liver.

They store minerals such as calcium. They create a supply of ions that are essential for life, namely calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium.

Bone marrow makes new blood cells.

Bone and its structure

Bone is a complex biological material with different mechanical properties that depend on its structure.

Bone consists of bone tissue composed of compounds of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and sodium and bone marrow. Red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and monocytes are formed in the bone marrow.

On the surface of the bone is a fibrous membrane, the periosteum, richly supplied with blood vessels and nerves.

At the base of the periosteum are active bone cells that make the bone strong.

Bone is a living tissue capable of repair and remodelling under the influence of external factors.

Bone tissue

Bone tissue is the foundation of bone. It is a tough connective tissue whose basic characteristic is strength. Its substance is mineralised.

The actual bone tissue is made up of cells and intercellular mass with minerals.

It consists of spongy and compact bone tissue, connective tissue, vascular supply and nerve fibre supply.

The spongy and compact bone differ significantly in structure and mechanical properties.

Compact bone is made up of bone mass. It is like tubes inserted into each other.

The compact bone forms the surface layer and the spongy bone is inside the bone.

Compact bone can be:

• fibrous
• lamellar

Fibrous bone is found in humans in the first year of life. It is then replaced by lamellar bone. Fibrous bone is found in adulthood only at the tendon tendons and sutures of the skull.

The spongy bone is either arranged in beams or is irregularly spongy.

Bone tissue is constantly remodeling based on the load on the bone.

If the bone is not loaded, for example in people who lie down for long periods, its strength and pliability decrease.

In contrast, intensive loading prevents failure of bone remodelling and possible fractures due to reduced strength.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which there is a pathological loss of part of the bone. This results in changes in its microstructure and function.

Read also our articles:

• Osteoporosis
• Osteoporosis, osteogenesis in children?
• Bone density: what are the healthy values at examination and how to increase them?

We divide bones into:

• Long bones (femur, humerus) are aimed at supporting the weight of the body and facilitating movement.
• Flat bones are thin and slightly curved (ribs, skull bones, scapula). They serve to protect the internal organs.
• Short bones, finger links, carpal bones provide stability to the wrist, ankle joints and aid movement.
• Irregular bones have different shapes (vertebrae, pelvic bones, facial bones).
• Sesamoid bones are small and round. They are formed inside tendons and bones that are surrounded by tendons to which muscles attach. These bones protect the tendons from wear and tear and reduce pressure when using the joint.

The adult skeleton consists of 206 bones and makes up 20% of a person's weight.

Bone cells

Osteoblasts are the building blocks of bone. They form the organic bone matrix containing receptors for hormonal factors involved in bone metabolism. They produce factors that influence bone cell activity. They produce collagen-rich material - osteoid. They are responsible for bone formation.

Osteocytes are mature cells that originate from osteoblasts. They produce collagen and bone matrix forming substances. They maintain bone mass.

Osteoclasts are involved in bone remodeling along with osteoblasts.

Functions of bone

Bone performs many vital functions in the body, such as:

• Support - Provides a strong skeleton and supports other parts of the body, for example, the bones of the lower limbs provide support for the upper body when standing.
• Movement - Bones transmit the force of muscle contractions during movement. Muscles are attached to bones by tendons. When a muscle contracts, the bone moves and the joints form a pivot point.
• Protection - Protects internal organs. The rib cage surrounds the heart, lungs, skull the brain, vertebrae the spinal cord.
• It forms and maintains blood cells formed in the bones such as red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
• Storage - Stores minerals in the bones such as calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D. Bone is made up of not only red marrow but also yellow marrow. Yellow marrow stores fatty tissue which is broken down and used for energy when needed.

Despite its hardness, the bone is light.

It is very strong, but its strength decreases with age.

Physical activity in childhood and adolescence helps to build bone tissue better, increases bone strength and prevents osteoporosis in older age.

Calcium makes bones hard and brittle.

Calcium is stored in the human body in the skeleton, up to 99%.

Bones deficient in this mineral are soft and pliable.

A lack of protein in bone makes the bone hard and brittle, but it can withstand only a small tensile load.

Bone reaches its greatest strength in compression.

It can resist static loads in the direction of the long bone:

• humerus - 600 kg
• femur - 760 kg
• tibia - 1350 kg

The spine is the central support of the body. It helps in walking, moving and turning.

The human skeleton functions

• Together with the muscles, it ensures the movement of the body.
• It supports the soft parts of the body.
• It is a reservoir of minerals.

Joints and their functions

A joint consists of a joint head and a joint socket. The joint head and socket are covered with cartilage, which secretes joint sebum to improve the gliding of the joint.

Joints are located where two or more bones join. They facilitate movement and provide stability.

Normal joint function is:

• bear weight
• the ability of the joint to move through its full range of motion

The freedom of movement of a joint is determined by the shape of the surface it forms. A joint with a spherical surface has the greatest degree of freedom.

Rotational movement of the joint is not possible in humans.

Articular cartilage consists of fibres of collagen, elastin and interstitial fluid.

Cartilage is a tissue that has different properties in different directions.

It transfers compressive loads to the joint-bone junction and absorbs shock. It plays an important role in reducing friction at the joint junction.

Joints connect bones, provide stability to the skeleton and allow movement.

Types of joints

• Functional - They hold together and are immobile (sutures of the cranial bones). Also referred to as fibrous joints. They do not allow any movement, only provide stability.
• Slightly mobile - Cartilaginous joints are held together by cartilage and allow some small movement. Cartilaginous joints in the spine, pelvis, between the ribs and sternum provide stability and only small movement.
• Freely movable - Also called synovial joints, they allow movement (shoulder, hip, knee joints). They are freely movable joints at the end of the bone covered with articular cartilage that protects the bottom of the bone and allows painless, and smooth movement in the joint.

Impairment of joint function can be caused by injury or inflammation. Its symptoms include pain, possibly redness, bruising, swelling and inability to move, such as bending, stretching and turning.

When running, a person loads the knee joint with a load equal to five times its weight.

Read also:

• How to help healthy joints? What is good for nutrition, lubrication + exercise
• Osteoarthritis and diet, prevention, treatment, cartilage restoration? How to stop it
• Arthritis of the knee: slowly but surely destroying the knee joints, how to treat it?

What vitamins and minerals are essential for bone and joint health?

As we age, more and more attention is being paid to bone and joint care.

Adequate intake of vitamins and minerals can play an important role in maintaining healthy bones and joints.

The most important mineral for bone health is calcium, but vitamin D is important for its absorption.

Vitamin D helps absorb calcium and contributes to bone strength. You can get it from sunlight, but also from food or in tablet form. Foods containing vitamin D are fish, eggs.

Vitamin C is not only important for immunity. It also helps form collagen, which is necessary for bone mineralization. It is found in citrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts.

Vitamin K helps supply calcium to the bones.

Vitamin E promotes collagen synthesis.

Vitamin A and E have antioxidant properties. They are found in berries, pomegranate, green tea, red grapes, watermelon, garlic, tomatoes, broccoli.

Vitamin B12 is needed in bone building especially in children and menopausal women with bone loss. It is found in dairy products, eggs, beef, liver, kidney, sardines, tuna, trout, salmon, mussels.

Magnesium is a mineral for healthy bones, helps the body use vitamin D and calcium.

Omega-3 fatty acids help build healthy cells, relieve musculoskeletal pain and are anti-inflammatory. They are found in fish, seeds, nuts, soy, avocados.

Glucosamine and chondroitin supplement joint health.

Collagen is an essential building block of connective tissue. Collagen supports the health of bones, joints, cartilage, tendons.

As we age, the body stops producing collagen. Therefore, it is a good idea to supplement it in another form to prevent pain and joint problems. A lack of it can cause degeneration of joint cartilage.

It can be obtained through supplements or diet, bone broth (sulc, aspic, beef broth), but also through foods such as seeds (chia, flax, pumpkin), salmon, chlorella, vegetables, avocados, eggs, garlic, citrus fruits, soya.

There are also a large number of over-the-counter collagen supplements to choose from in the pharmacy.

Read:

• Collagen is important for skin and joints. What foods does it come in?

Medicines for healthy joints and bones can be purchased at the pharmacy. Dietary supplements for their nutrition contain a complete mixture of medicines needed for joint nutrition.

Foods to strengthen bones and joints

Bone diseases such as osteoporosis can be prevented by getting enough calcium and vitamin C in the diet.

What foods are nutritious for bones and joints:

• Calcium-fortified cereals
• Salmon is an excellent source of vitamin D
• Leafy greens and vegetables such as spinach, tomatoes, red peppers, carrots
• Dairy products, yogurt
• Dairy alternatives such as soya, almond and cashew milk, which are fortified with vitamin D and calcium
• Collagen supplements that are found in gelatin, such as sulc, pork bone broth and skin
• Marine fish for its omega-3 fatty acid content
• Flaxseeds, nuts, avocados rich in omega-3 fatty acids
• Sunflower seeds for maintaining healthy bones
• Red fruits - apples, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, berries, currants

Adequate fluid intake and, in particular, plenty of exercise are also important for bone and joint health. The more strain on the bones, the stronger they become and the less minerals are broken down.

Overweight and obesity adversely affect bones and joints due to the strain and extreme weight bearing.