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How to Learn the Axial Skeleton

Human skeletons are divided into two portions, the axial and the appendicular. The axial skeleton consists of 80 bones, including the vertebral column, the thoracic cage, and the skull. The major function of the axial skeleton is to transmit the weight of the human body through the trunk and into the hips. The resulting stabilization keeps the body upright.

Learning the axial skeleton is easy if you break down the parts and study each individually. You will need to learn each bone, its function, attachments to other bones, and attachment spots for muscles.

Skeletal System Flash Cards
Anatomy Diagrams or Models

Instructions

- 1
  Locate diagrams of the axial skeleton. Find these in anatomy textbooks or illustrated anatomy dictionaries like Gray's Anatomy. Models of the axial skeleton may also help you learn all the bones, as you can see them in a 3-D view.
- 2
  Separate the three main portions of the axial skeleton: the skull, the thoracic cage, and the vertebral column. Learn how many bones make up each portion and what bones have connections to one another. Focus on learning the name and location of each bone.
- 3
  Learn the type and function of each bone. Bones are labeled as flat, long, short, irregular, and sesamoid. Understand why the axial skeleton is made up of each type of bone and how that helps the axial skeleton keep the body upright.
- 4
  Locate the sections on each bone where they articulate with another bone or where muscles attach. Make sure you are able to identify these parts of the bone if they are tagged on an exam.
- 5
  Understand the development of the axial skeleton. Make sure you know what bones fuse together and at what point in the development they fuse. This knowledge is especially important for learning about the bones of the skull.

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