9 Basic Functions of Bones

The human body contains 206 bones. Their primary functions are to serve as a structural framework and to protect your internal organs.

The bones in your body also play an important role in muscle movement, blood formation, and the production of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets through their respective bone marrow locations.

Here are 10 basic functions of the bones that you should know about, including information on what happens when these bones suffer from fractures or degeneration caused by aging or disease.

1) Protection

Our bones protect our organs and tissues and shield us from injury. A thin layer of hard, outer tissue called compact bone covers a softer inner material called spongy or cancellous bone.

This covering provides strength while still allowing flexibility in joints. Together these two layers protect all our major organs, including muscles, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels.

They also form an outer protective shell that safeguards delicate body parts like the brain, spinal cord, heart, lungs, pelvic organs, and eyes—and makes sure they don't bump into anything hard during travel.

2) Support

Skull bone supports the brain

We'd be completely immobile without bones. When we walk, run or even just stand, our bones bear our body weight.

They give shape to our skeleton and provide stability so that we can stand up straight and tall. But bones aren’t only important for locomotion.

They play several essential roles in helping us stay healthy. From supporting organs like your heart and lungs to protecting vital systems like your brain, spine, and nervous system from harm, there is a lot more going on inside those tiny bones than you might think.

It's true—bones may seem pretty straightforward at first glance. After all, it's easy to recognize a bone when you see one: It's hard, has a nice shape (often described as an upside-down U), and gives structure to your entire body.

But look closer: The bone is made up of different layers which perform different tasks in your body—from providing support for other organs such as your heart or lungs to protecting vital systems like your brain, spine, and nervous system from harm.

3) Movement

The function of bone is to move body parts

The function of bones is primarily movement. Without bones, we wouldn’t be able to move our bodies and carry out basic tasks such as walking, sitting, or getting dressed.

Our skeleton contains 206 bones; 206 joints connect them. The other purpose of our skeleton is support - it gives shape to our body by giving structure to soft tissues like muscles and skin.

4) Blood Production

The body's blood supply begins in bone marrow, which is found in cavities within bones. Red and white blood cells, as well as platelets, originate from bone marrow.

The red and white cells are responsible for carrying oxygen and fighting infection throughout your body; platelets help your blood clot to stop bleeding.

Mature red blood cells live about 120 days before they're absorbed by your spleen; mature white blood cells last about seven days before being destroyed by macrophages (specialized white blood cells that gobble up debris).

This constant cycle of breakdown and regeneration is known as hematopoiesis.

5) Joint Function

Joints are structures that allow two or more bones to move against each other. Think about them as ball-and-socket structures that allow for flexible movement; there are many different types, but most have a hard surface (called a plate) where two bones meet and cartilage lining both sides of those surfaces.

Those joints are under constant pressure when you're walking around, standing up, and so on they make up a large part of your body's contact with your environment.

They're held together by ligaments—tough bands of tissue that also connect bone to bone. Some joints have muscles attached directly to them as well; these tend to be involved in our major movements like bending over or reaching out.

Joint function in running

6) Shock Absorption

Shock absorption of joint

Not only do bones provide structure and support, but they also help reduce vibrations and impact from everyday activities.

Imagine every time you take a step or every time your head hits your pillow at night; that's shock absorption.

On average, we lose about 1% of our bone mass per year after age 30. That may not sound like much, but over 30 years that can lead to up to 25% bone loss!

An easy way to combat bone loss is by engaging in weight-bearing exercise—wherever possible.

7) Cell Production, Growth, and Repair

Our bones are constantly regenerating and replenishing themselves. Your body is always on a mission to create more bone than it loses, which leads to constant turnover and regeneration.

When you get enough calcium in your diet, your bones can make new cells faster than they break down.

Unfortunately, aging and lifestyle habits can put a damper on cell production. While poor eating habits, sedentary behavior, and smoking can lead to lower rates of cell production over time, menopause causes women's bodies to go into hyper-production mode.

The resulting higher rates may help guard against osteoporosis later in life—but only if we don’t smoke or otherwise hurt our bones before then!

Bone metabolism

8) Metabolism Regulation and Development

A primary role of bones is to support and protect internal organs. Moreover, it is the main reservoir of body calcium. In case of low blood calcium levels, bone supplies the mineral to keep the balance.

As we develop, bones also assist in many other critical functions including metabolism regulation and development.

For example, we need calcium to build our bones - without enough calcium, our bodies are unable to continue building healthy bone tissue as adults or developing properly as growing children.

9) Supportive Structure

While it is true that bones are essential for weight-bearing, they also play an important role in many other functions.

A system of joints and muscles attach to our bones, allowing them to serve as protective shields (known as our skeletal system) and form supportive structures.

One example is through ligaments, which attach bone to bone in your body. Another is through cartilage, which provides a cushion between bones where movement can occur (such as inside your nose or larynx).

With such a diverse set of functions at hand, it's easy to see why we say Strength isn’t just about having big muscles. It’s also about having strong bones!

N.B – The content provided is for information and education purposes only.