How Many Bones in the Skeleton?
Axial skeleton:
Vertebral column: 26
Skull: 22
Hyoid: 1
Ribs and sternum: 25
Appendicular skeleton:
Upper extremities: 64
Lower extremities: 62
Auditory ossicles: 6
Total: 206 bones
Bones - Brief Overview of Bone Structure
upper Extremity
- Shoulder girdle: scapula, clavical
- Arm: humerus
- Forearm: radius (lateral), ulna (medial)
- Wrist: carpals
- Hand: metacarpals, phalanges
Lower Extremity
- Thigh: femur
- Leg: tibia (medial), fibula (lateral)
- Foot: calcaneus, talus, cuneiforms, tarsals, metatarsals, phalanges
Axial
- Skull
- Hyoid
- Vertebral column: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, coccyx
- Ribs, sternum
- Pelvis: ilium, ischium, pubis
Spine Structure and Basic Function (Figure 2)
Adult spine has 24 vertebrae plus the sacrum and coccyx
- Cervical 7 vertebrae more extension
- Thoracic 12 vertebrae more flexion
- Lumbar 5 vertebrae more extension
Thoracic spine has a kyphotic curve.
The spine is capable of extension and flexion movements
and can also rotate and side bend.
The lumbar and cervical spine has a lordotic curve.
Hip and Pelvis Structure (Figure 3) (^) Figure 2 Bones of the spine