Question

Pathologies of the Skeletal and Muscular Systems - Should a professional athlete be more concerned if they break a bone, or tear a muscle? Would it depend on the affected bone/muscle? Why or why not? Discuss the pathologies of each, and make your argument.

Answer 1

The skeletal system includes the bones of the skeleton and the cartilages, ligaments, and other connective tissue that stabilize or connect the bones. In addition to supporting the weight of the body, bones work together with muscles to maintain body position and to produce controlled, precise movements. Without the skeleton to pull against, contracting muscle fibers could not make us sit, stand, walk, or run.
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are conditions that can affect your muscles, bones, and joints. MSDs include:

tendinitis
carpal tunnel syndrome
osteoarthritis
rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
fibromyalgia
bone fractures
Symptoms of MSDs can include:

recurrent pain
stiff joints
swelling
dull aches
They can affect any major area of your musculoskeletal system, including the following:

neck
shoulders
wrists
back
hips
legs
knees
feet
What causes MSDs?
Your risk of developing MSDs is affected by:

age
occupation
activity level
lifestyle
family history
Certain activities can cause wear and tear on your musculoskeletal system, leading to MSDs. These include:

sitting in the same position at a computer every day
engaging in repetitive motions
lifting heavy weights
maintaining poor posture at work
Some major MSD
Arthritis – As we age, our joint tissues become less resilient to wear and tear and start to degenerate manifesting as swelling, pain, and oftentimes, loss of mobility of joints. Changes occur in both joint soft tissues and the opposing bones, a condition called osteoarthritis. A more serious form of disease is called rheumatoid arthritis. The latter is an autoimmune disease wherein the body produces antibodies against joint tissues causing chronic inflammation resulting in severe joint damage, pain and immobility.
Osteoporosis – “Porous bone.” The bane of the old, especially, women. The hard, rock-like quality of bone is dependent upon calcium. When too much calcium is dissolved from bones or not enough replaced, bones lose density and are easily fractured. Estrogen, the female sex hormone, helps maintain proper calcium levels in bones. Once the ovaries stop producing the hormone, women are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis. A collapse of bony vertebrae of the spinal column results in loss of height and stooped posture. Hip fractures are a common occurrence.
Osteomalacia – “Soft bones.” If not enough calcium is deposited during early childhood development, the bones do not become rock-hard, but rubbery. Both adequate calcium in the diet and vitamin D, primarily, from normal sunlight exposure or supplementation, are necessary for normal bone development. Before vitamin supplementation to milk, “rickets,” another name for osteomalacia in children, was common resulting in the classic bowed legs of the afflicted child.
Carpal tunnel syndrome – People whose job involves repeated flexing of their wrist (typing, house painting) may develop tingling and/or pain in their thumb, index and middle fingers along with weakness of movements of the thumb, especially, grasping an object. The main nerve for finely controlled thumb movements passes through a bony/ligamentous canal on the bottom of the wrist. Repetitive flexing movements may inflame and thicken the ligament over the “tunnel” through the carpal (wrist) bones trapping and compressing the nerve.
Tendonitis– Repeated strain on a tendon, attachment of a muscle to bone, can inflame the tendon resulting in pain and difficulty with movement involving the muscle. Tendons have a poor blood supply; therefore, they typically take a long time to heal on the order of six weeks or more.

Rotator cuff tear – Muscles surrounding the shoulder joint are involved in rotating the shoulder with upper arm and hand forward and backward, among other movements. The tendons of these muscles also contribute to the structural strength of the shoulder joint. Hard, fast movements, such as in tennis and baseball can tear one of these tendons resulting in pain and decreased mobility of the shoulder. Surgery may be needed to repair a torn tendon.
Bursitis – A bursa is a small, closed bag with a minimum amount of lubricatory fluid that serves as a shock absorber where bones make close contact and to minimize trauma and friction where tendons cross bones and joints. Inflammation leads to pain and immobility in a joint area.

Muscular dystrophy – Muscular dystrophy is a group of inherited diseases in which the muscles that control movement progressively weaken. The prefix, dys-, means abnormal. The root, -trophy, refers to maintaining normal nourishment, structure and function. The most common form in children is called Duchenne muscular dystrophy and affects only males. It usually appears between the ages of 2 to 6 and the afflicted live typically into late teens to early 20s.

Myasthenia gravis – “Muscular weakness, profound”. This is an autoimmune disease that involves production of antibodies that interfere with nerves stimulating muscle contractions. Face and neck muscles are the most obviously affected, manifesting as drooping eyelids, double vision, difficulty swallowing and general fatigue. There is no actual paralysis of muscles involved, but a rapid fatiguing of function.
Lupus erythematosus – An autoimmune disease wherein the body produces antibodies against a variety of organs, especially connective tissues of skin and joints. Mild Lupus may involve a distinctive butterfly-shaped rash over the nose and cheeks. Mild lupus may also involve myalgia and arthralgia (remember these words?) Severe or systemic lupus (SLE) involves inflammation of multiple organ systems such as the heart, lungs, or kidneys

Some treatment
Physical therapist – This health care professional has at least two years of specialized training beyond a college degree. PTs are rehabilitation specialists treating a multitude of medical problems including patients recovering from joint surgery, limb amputation, a stroke, heart attack and suffering with chronic neuromuscular diseases. In addition to other treatment modalities, they teach patients exercises to strengthen their body, increase mobility and how to prevent recurrence of injury. Learn about the doctor of physical therapy program at Des Moines University.

Arthroscopy – A fiberoptic instrument is introduced into a joint cavity in order to visualize surfaces of bones entering into a joint, find tears in internal joint structures and evaluate sources of inflammation.

Bone scan – A radioactive element in very small amounts, not enough to cause any radiation injury to the patient, is introduced into the blood stream. The specially selected element accumulates in bone and using a much more sophisticated version of the old Geiger Counter instrument, the distribution of the element is used to diagnose potential bone tumors among other bone pathologies.
Electromyography recording of muscle electrical activity.” Fine needles are introduced into muscles in order to make recordings of contractile activity. This procedure is useful in evaluating causes of paralysis, diagnosing muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular disorders.

Muscle biopsy – Cutting out a small tissue sample of muscle in order to examine it under a microscope. This procedure can be useful in diagnosing muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular disorders.
How can you prevent MSDs
Your risk of developing MSDs increases with age. Your muscles, bones, and joints naturally deteriorate as you get older. But that doesn’t mean that MSDs are inevitable. By taking care of your body throughout adulthood, you can lower your risk of developing these disorders.

It’s crucial to develop healthy lifestyle habits now. Regular strengthening exercises and stretching can help keep your bones, joints, and muscles strong. It’s also important to complete everyday activities in safe ways. Maintain a tall posture to prevent back pain, be careful when picking up heavy objects,