Importance of Anatomy

The physical characteristics of the body of a living being are, as a whole, the determining factor in the development that it may have in its environment, but, in turn, they become the sum of the consequences that the same environment has left throughout the evolutionary process of the species. In the first sense, the anatomy that constitutes most of the physical features of living beings meets functionally with the following roles: 1) support of the entire body mass, including organs and fluids; 2) specialized disposition for motor skills and body flexibility; and 3) offer a protection system against environmental effects, both physical and chemical, that may represent a threat to the individual; while seen from the second perspective, it becomes a wonderful source of historical knowledge about how each of the species was developing their changes over time and how similar phenomena and transformations could occur in different species, in the same or in different moments, a fact that has also enabled the development of a system for the classification of the various forms of life, which is known as taxonomy.

natural movement

The physical structure of living beings, whether segmented or not, is evolutionarily adapted to the particular conditions of the environment in which it occurs. develops the species, having developed different specialized structures for optimal locomotion and development of body movement, depending on medium.

From this principle, anatomical structures have a role of great importance so that the individual can comply with each phase. corresponding to the fact of being alive, such as moving around to get food, once the morsel has been obtained, being able to process it properly according to the anatomical characteristics of the specialized structures for said function and so that the metabolism can subsequently extract the nutrients necessary, while also functions such as sexual reproduction in each of its scenarios, from the search for a partner to the generation of a new being, as well as the various mechanisms of asexual reproduction, have an inseparable link from the adaptations that the species has achieved throughout its history. anatomy for this purpose.

The biological order of things

All the parts of the body have a strong correlation with each other, becoming even more evident when the functioning is analyzed by structural groups according to the functions. more basic specific functions performed, as an example of this, the set of bones in vertebrate animals can be highlighted as a bone system, but they are interrelated through the tendons and ligaments that link them in motor action together with the system made up of the muscles, one can then speak of an even more complex system called musculoskeletal, thus considering the motor functionality of vertebrates with a much broader and deeper perspective than if both systems were evaluated by separate.

In the same way, these systems are completely related to the nervous system, which in turn is built on all other systems, so nothing can happen in one area of ​​the body without the others getting to know about it somewhere. moment.

Alterations are not good

It is based on this that, when an individual sees his anatomy altered, either due to genetic factors or as a consequence of some traumatic damage, the The consequences can be multiple, affecting not only the specific injured, deformed or mutilated area, but also producing changes in other areas of the body. body.

A clear example of the succession of physical disorders that an anatomical alteration can generate can be seen in the spinal deviations that have become so common among humans. A deviation in the normal trajectory of the vertebrae of the spine, in any area where it occurs, leads to the generation of various problems in the nervous system, from of one in the musculoskeletal system, producing inflammation, pain and even paralysis or severe motor limitations in the extremities, conditioning the person to a state disabling.

On the other hand, the deviations of the vertebral column can be the product of the alteration in the normal anatomy of the lower extremities, such as having a shorter leg than the other, which demonstrates the deep dependence between each of the parts of the body and the importance of anatomy in the stability of all the physical dynamics that surround it. constitute.

References

Salvat Library (1973). The evolution of the spices. Barcelona, ​​Spain. Salvat Editors.

Calais-Germain, B., & Lamotte, A. (1994). Anatomy for movement. The books of the March hare.

Rouviere, H., & Delmas, A. (2005). Human anatomy. Masson, S.A.

Tortora, G. J., Derrickson, B., Tzal, K., de los Ángeles Gutiérrez, M., & Klajn, D. (2002). Principles of anatomy and physiology (Vol. 7). Oxford University press.