Answer to Question #118504 in Human Anatomy and Physiology for Gianfranco

Question

The human body is we resilience to handle some pain. Like a punch or kick. I'm not sure are we considered durability if so how? In movies durability is for fictional characters to survive fates that most people cant in the real world. So we have resilience not durability

Answer 1

The human body is designed with limits. In the cellular and molecular design of the human body, there are levels of stress that can be withstood. For instance, the body can withstand certain levels of pain and pressure that is exerted to it. At the same time, the human body is designed to recover and heal from inflicted injury. What is notable from injury profiles and the recovery process is that the human body, while designed to withstand various forms of injury and stress, is not equipped to maintain a similar efficiency level of operation after withstanding these pressures. Arguably, the human body is resilient, but not durable.

The resilience of the human body can be demonstrated by a general examination of the different organs and organ systems that make up the body. For instance, when one donates blood, or loses it through hemorrhage, up to 3.7 trillion red blood cells are lost (Narla, & Ebert, 2018). However, the body is programmed to quickly produce new cells and replace the lost one. At the same time, one can lose large sections of their body organs, yet continue to live and function normally. The human body can function normally without the spleen because the liver takes over most of its roles in its absence. Further, hepatocytes have a high regenerative capacity to regrow itself when a piece is cut off. Other organs include the colon, the gallbladder and the stomach. The ability of the body to survive without parts of itself is a clear indication of resilience.

The durability aspect of the body is limited in scope. While the human body can survive without some organs and withstand pain and trauma, there is a limit. Loss of blood beyond a certain degree leads to hemorrhagic shock, cardiac arrest and death. Entire loss or damage of the liver impairs most of the body metabolism. Further, the human body is fragile and can crumble to impact forces that lead to fractures, organ rupture and displacements that may lead to death.

The human body is not durable. Rather, it is designed to withstand pressures and afflictions to a certain degree. This is resilience in its design. Durability is limited in scope and perhaps relegated to the fictitious realms of the movies and films. 

References

Narla, A., & Ebert, B. L. (2018). Red Cell Production. Anemia, 14.