Your spinal column consists of bones called vertebrae that protect the bundle of nerves called the spinal cord. Separated by gelatinous cushions called discs, the vertebrae stretch from the cervical or neck region to the base of your spine, called the lumbar area.

Numerous diseases cause bone deterioration and degeneration. According to MedlinePlus, a person's bones help her ambulate and give her body shape and support, and to develop strong bones and ward off bone loss, it's important for a person to get adequate calcium and vitamin D and to do weight-bearing exercise.

There are several bone-eating or osteolytic diseases. According to the Spine Universe website, bones are organs made from living tissue, an they provide a person's body with structural support. Cortical bone forms the outer layer of bones, and accounts for 80 percent of skeletal bone mass.

The muscles of the body enable individuals to stand upright, walk and pick up heavy objects. Those very same muscles enable the heart to beat, the lungs to breathe and internal organs to function. A variety of organs as well as muscle tissues are included in the body's muscular system, each with a specific job to do.

Low muscle tone, also known as floppy baby syndrome or hypotonia, is a developmental disorder that occurs in babies and children, and can cause severe delays in coordination, strength and movement. It can coexist with muscle weakness, breathing and speech difficulties as well as poor reflexes.

When trying to improve your health on a small budget, pushups can become a quick way to work the arms, shoulders and chest without having to invest in exercise equipment or a pricey gym membership.

Swimming offers a low-impact workout if you have bad knees. Unlike weight-bearing activities that place stress on your knees as your feet hit the hard surface, swimming allows you to move through the water without placing much pressure on the knee.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a loss of muscle function as a result of nerve deterioration. ALS affects a subset of cells known as motor neurons.

There are numerous diseases that affect the tailbone. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health or NIH, the tailbone, also known as the coccyx, is a small bone located under the sacrum at the bottom of the spine.

The muscular and skeletal system of the body consists of the bones, along with the muscles, ligaments, joints, tendons, cartilage and connective tissues. The main function of the musculoskeletal system is to provide the body with support. Without bones, the body would be a heap of tissue, flexibility and movement.

Leg pain in children often prompts a visit to the doctor. Pain in the leg can arise from multiple causes, ranging from mild, temporary conditions to serious medical disorders. As a parent or caregiver, you need to know when to be concerned about a child’s leg pain.

If you're new to running, have bumped up your mileage or running intensity, changed surfaces or train in shoes that have lost their cushioning, various leg aches and pains are almost inevitable. But soreness and injury aren't the only things that can hold your running back.