Types of bones in your body

Your bones serve as a support system for your entire body. They provide protection, store important minerals and enable movements. Every bone in your body is vital. Diet, exercise and the use of supplements are ways to maintain and improve the strength of your bones.

At birth, you have 270 bones in your body, which later reduce to 206 when you reach adulthood. This reduction happens because some of the bones join together to form one single bone. The biggest bone in your body is the femur which is the long bong found in your thigh and the smallest bone is the stapes which is inside your ear.

There are five major types of bones in the human body:

• Long bones: these are found in your limbs and they contain little bone marrow. Their major function is to provide support for your body's weight and help with movements. 
• Short bones: found in your wrist and ankles, they provide stability. These bones have little or no movements. 
• Flat bones: they are found in your skull, ribs, and breastbone. They protect vital organs.
• Sesamoid bones: these are small bones found in your knee, neck, wrist, hand and foot. They help protect and reduce stress on the joints. 
• Irregular bones: these are found in various parts of your body. Some examples are the bones of the back, the mouth, and the buttocks. 

There are so many ways to improve the strength of your bones, such as:

• Eating fruits and vegetables. These are great sources of vitamins that improve bone mineralization and reduce the risk of bone damage. 
• Regular exercise. Exercise helps to increase bone strength and bone density. Weight-bearing and performance training exercises, such as sit-ups, weight lifting and stretching, improve bone health. 
• Calcium-rich diet. Calcium is the mineral that gives bones strength. The recommended daily intake is 1,000 mg. Calcium can be gotten from dairy products (e.g. milk, yoghurt, cheese), green leafy vegetables, fish (e.g. sardines),  fortified juices and supplements. 
• Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps your body to store calcium in your bones. The sun is the best source of vitamin D, so make sure that you get at least 5-10 minutes of direct sunshine on your skin every day. You can also get vitamin D from fatty fish, liver and eggs. If you cannot get enough vitamin D from the sun or from food, you can take supplements (recommended for pregnant women).
• Reduce alcohol intake and stop smoking.  Both alcohol and tobacco have been shown to reduce bone density.

Healthy bones are vital to your overall health. They help with movement, protect your vital organs and support your body's weight. To improve the health of your bones, it is important to eat the right foods (for calcium and vitamin D), to exercise regularly, limit or give up smoking and drinking, and get enough sunshine.