What types of bones are there?
1 Answer
Structurally, there are five types of bones: long bones, short bones, flat bones, irregular bones and sesamoid bones.
Some do not consider sesamoid as a type of bone as far as structure goes.
Long bones can be very large and also very small. But they all are longer than wider.
Examples: femur, tibia, fibula, humerus, radius, ulna and metatarsals. The metatarsals are among the smallest.
Short bones are about as wide as they are tall.
Examples are the carpals and tarsals.
Flat bones are similar to broad flat dinner plates.
Examples are the scapula, cranium, sternum, os coxae and the ribs.
Irregular bones do not fit into the other categories and are rather non-uniform in shape.
Examples are the vertebrae and the sternum.
Sesamoids are irregular in shape but found in tendons. This bone type is some times categorized with the other irregular bones.
