Human Bones Facts
Obviously you know that your bones make up your skeleton, but what else do you know about them? Besides that they are hard, of course.
Though it might not seem like there is too much to know about bones, there is actually quite a bit, so let’s get to it!
Who Has More Bones, Kids or Adults?
Though it might seem like adults would have more bones, it is actually the opposite! Children, when they are born, have a total of 270 bones. By the time that they reach adulthood, however, that number has shrunk to 206.
What causes this dramatic shift? When we are first born, our bones are made with growth in mind, meaning that there are spaces in between bones.
As we grow, these bones get longer and eventually fuse together, thus reducing the total number of bones.
What Are Bones For?
Bones serve two main functions. First, they help to give our body shape. Without our bones, we would be like any other invertebrate (worms, slugs, and jellyfish) out there. We would simply have no real shape.
The second, yet equally important, function of bones is to give our body’s most important organs tons of protection. Our bones make sure that organs like our heart, lungs, and brain are kept as safe as possible.
Finally, the inside of our bones, which is called bone marrow, produces red blood cells and platelets.
The Biggest Bone
The femur is the largest bone in your body. It is sometimes referred to as the thighbone. This is the bone that connects to your hip socket and ends at your knee.
The Smallest Bone
The smallest bone in the body is so small that it is only about 4 mm in length! This teeny tiny bone is located in your middle ear and is called the stapes. It helps us to hear by transmitting sound vibrations to the inner ear.
What Are Bones Made Of?
Bones are made up of a variety of minerals and proteins. These include phosphorous, sodium, and calcium. If you want to have good strong bones, make sure that you get plenty of these items in your diet.
What Happens if a Bone Breaks?
Though they are very strong, bones can and will break if enough force is acted upon them.
They are not meant to bend after all, and if they are forced to they will break. If you ever break a bone, your body starts to fix it immediately.
That is why you need to be sure to get to the doctor as soon as possible. Otherwise, it is likely that the bone could heal incorrectly.
Once your bone has been set by a doctor, your body goes to work healing it. The crack will first be filled in with cartilage. This will then be replaced by hard, bone-like callus.
Finally, after about six weeks, new bone will be put in place. However, it can take several years for the bone to regain its former strength.
Light and Strong
Your bones are one of the most important parts of your body. They help to hold you up, protect your organs, and create new blood cells.
So make sure you take care of them and get plenty of calcium in your diet!
