Page 30 - Viva ICSE Science 5 : E-book

Care of Bones, Muscles and Joints

As we have learnt that bones and joints are an important part of our body, it is important
to take care of them. We can keep our bones and joints healthy in the following ways.

• Eating a balanced amount of food items that make bones and muscles strong

• Taking proper rest, maintaining a good posture and doing regular exercise

Food for skeletal system

Our body requires calcium (a mineral), vitamin D and proteins for healthy bones and

muscles.

• Vitamin D and calcium: Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium from food.
Calcium strengthens our bones. It also keeps our muscles active as it helps in muscle

contraction. Growing children need more calcium and vitamin D for their growing
bones. Leafy vegetables like spinach and cabbage, almonds, milk, cheese and curd

are rich sources of calcium. Fish, milk, eggs
and mushrooms are rich sources of vitamin D.
Sunlight promotes the production of vitamin D

by the body.

• Proteins: These are the building blocks of
muscles. They are required in the growth and
repair of muscles. Sources of protein include

milk, cheese, egg, soy, beans, pulses, fi sh and
meat. Food for healthy skeletal system

TIME TO REVISE

Write two lines about each.
1. Hinge joint 2. Pivot joint

3. Skeletal muscles 4. Cardiac muscles

Role of good posture and regular exercise

Posture is the position in which we hold our body during standing, sitting and laying.
Good posture means keeping our back straight while sitting and standing. This puts less
pressure on the backbone. Sitting with bent back puts pressure on backbone. This can

lead to severe back pain and muscle pain.

16