Have you ever really thought about how fascinating your bones actually are? They can mend themselves; grow up until you hit 30 years of age and are made up of mineral crystals – and there is so much more!
Here are some facts that you probably didn’t know about your bones.
Think you’re strong? Can you take on 8-10-times your body weight? The game of cricket brings friends and family together. Whether you’re at the stadium or watching it on your TV, you’re completely relaxed – the players on the field are anything but relaxed and their bones are taking a pounding!
Did you know that whenever a fast bowler’s front foot hits the crease, their knee is absorbing approximately 8-10 times their own body weight! So, for example, a 75kg bowler’s knee is absorbing 9 times their body weight, meaning the knee is withstanding a whopping 675kg of force every delivery!
Babies actually have more bones than adults. Babies have 300 bones (a mixture of bones and cartilage.) As they get older, the cartilage begins to turn into bone – this is known as ossification. During this process, some of the separate bones fuse and become larger bones.
After this happens, they will have 206 bones.
You may have an extra rib! We have 24 ribs, divided into 12 pairs; well…most of us. Some adults have a 25th rib, which lies at the base of the neck – it’s called a cervical rib. Don’t start feeling your neck, if you have this extra rib, you’ll probably know about it, because it can cause medical problems.
The rib can push down on nerves and blood vessels and will cause pain, including joint pain in your neck and shoulder region. The condition is called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
Treatment: There are 2 main treatments – either surgery to stop the rib from pushing on the blood vessels or by taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS). You’ll also need to follow a physical therapy programme.
You get a new skeleton every 7 years. As crazy as this sounds, it’s true and actually makes sense when you think about it. Even though your bones are strong, they are constantly worn down by daily activities and eventually need replacement (much like the tyres on your car.) In your bones’ case, all of your them completely replace themselves every 7 years.
Your bones make up the framework of your body and without it, no other part would be able to function. So, please take care of them and you’ll be able to live a happy, healthy life.
Sources: Live Science, Science Kids, eMedicine, Physio Advisor