Typically, bones are classified as long, short, flat, sesamoid and irregular.
Long Bones
These bones typically have an elongated shaft and two expanded ends one on either side of the shaft. Most long bones are found in the limbs, e.g. the femur, tibia and fibula.
Short Bones
These bones are short in length and can be of any shape such as the carpals in the wrist. Most short bones are named according to their shape , e.g. the cuboid, cuneiform, scaphoid and trapezoid.
Flat Bones
These bones are flat in appearance and have two prominent surfaces. They resemble shallow plates and form boundaries of certain body cavities, e.g. scapula, ribs and sternum.
Sesamoid Bones
These bones are embedded in a tendon, e.g. the patella (kneecap).
Irregular bones
The shape of these bones is completely irregular and they do not fit into any category of shape, e.g. the vertebrae, hip bone and bones in the base of skull.
