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8.3: The Human Body

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    292838
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    Human anatomy studies body structures such as bones and muscles in humans. The skeleton is symmetrical, which means each of the bones and joints exist on both sides of the body. For a brief lesson in basic anatomy, let’s look at bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons. The human body has 206 bones. Only 177 of those bones can move, and all movement is caused by muscles moving bones– except when gravity is allowed to take over part of the body. Such movement in dance -- when gravity is permitted to dictate the quality of the movement -- is called fall or release. (We will talk about the physics of dance in a later section.) Where two bones come together, they form a joint. Bones are connected to bones via ligaments. Tendons are made of similar tissue as ligaments but connect muscles to bones.

    Definition: Joint

    Where two bones come together, they form a joint.

    Definition: Ligament

    Ligaments connect bones to bones.

    Definition: Tendon

    Tendons are made of similar tissue as ligaments, but connect muscles to bones.

    A skeleton with labels on itDescription automatically generated
    Figure 8.6. The human skeleton, front view

    (LadyofHats Mariana Ruiz Villarreal. (2007 January 3). diagram of a human female skeleton. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Human_skeleton_front_en.svg)

    A skeleton with labels on itDescription automatically generated
    Figure 8.7. The human skeleton, rear view

    (LadyofHats Mariana Ruiz Villarreal. (2007 Sept 25). Diagram of a human female skeleton, back view. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Human_skeleton_back_en.svg)


    This page titled 8.3: The Human Body is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Debra Worth.