Everyone has bones, no matter who you are or where you are, but not everyone understands the importance of changes in what’s going on inside their bodies. Walking, sleeping and having secure organs are all possible with the help of our skeletons. 

The structure that your bones grant your body, plus the mobility they enable us to have, in addition to the protection of your organs, make them invaluable in preserving and continuing human life. And if you think you can count the number of bones you have, don't even try. It's too complicated.

How many bones are in the body?

According to kidshealth.org, humans have 206 bones by the time they’re 25. They are born with about 300 bones and cartilage that, over time, “fuses” together to form the mature adult body. 

The soft, delicate spots on the bones infants have soon after birth are among those that will harden and fuse during one’s early life.

This bone growth is powered by calcium intake during childhood and replaces the soft-feeling cartilage with healthier strengthened bone. This bone also forms our body shape and skeleton structure throughout our maturing years.

What other bones stand out?

The bones of the body are not, however, equally distributed from head to toe. Some bones, such as the longest bone, the femur which is in your thigh, take up a substantial portion of the body. Other parts of the body, like the hands, are made up of 27 smaller, intricate bones that allow your hand to function and grasp as it does. Feet are also loaded with different bones -- 26 of your body’s 206.

Your hands aren’t where your smallest bone resides, though. That position is taken by the stirrup, a tiny bone in the inner ear that assists in conducting sound vibrations, according to verywellhealth.com. 

What are the different bone types?

Your body's 206 bones are differentiated by more than just name, though. Long bones, short bones, flat bones and irregular bones are the four categorical bone types, as betterhealth.vic.gov.au explains. 

Long bones, such as your humerus, fibula or tibia are bones that enable mobility and carry the body's weight. Short bones, including your hands' carpals and your foot's tarsals, also improve movement while stabilizing your wrist and ankles. Flat bones are often present on the skull, encompassing your frontal and occipital bones. Lastly, irregular bones are bones without a conforming shape, like your spinal vertebrae.

USA Today