Short bones are designated as those
bone
A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, an ...
s that are as wide as they are long. Their primary function is to provide support and stability with little to no movement. They are one of five
types of bones: short,
long,
flat,
irregular and
sesamoid
In anatomy, a sesamoid bone () is a bone embedded within a tendon or a muscle. Its name is derived from the Arabic word for 'sesame seed', indicating the small size of most sesamoids. Often, these bones form in response to strain, or can be prese ...
. Examples of these bones include the
tarsals in the foot and the
carpals in the hand.
Additional images
File:Short bones - animation.gif, Short bones in human skeleton. (shown in red)
File:Blausen 0229 ClassificationofBones.png, Classification of bones by shape.
References
Stedman's Online Medical Dictionary, 27th Edition
Skeletal system
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