Basic Human Anatomy

4-6. TYPES OF BONES

4-6. TYPES OF BONES

Bones of the skeleton can be grouped into the following major types: long, short, flat, and irregular. Each type has a somewhat different construction pattern.

a. Long Bones. The basic structure of a long bone is illustrated in figure 4-1 and discussed in module 4-4. Example: femur.

b. Short Bones. The short bones, such as those of the wrist and feet, have a thin layer of compact bone surrounding an inner mass of spongy bone.

Example: carpal bones.

c. Flat Bones. The flat bones are constructed with two plates of compact bone, which enclose between them a layer of spongy bone. The spongy bone is richly supplied with blood vessels and red marrow. Example: the cranial frontal bone.

d. Irregular Bones. The irregular bones are those that do not fit into the three categories above. Example: a vertebra.

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