Babies have more bones than adults.
Babies are born with about 300 bones. Adults have 206. As babies grow, some of their bones fuse together. Some infant bones are made entirely of soft, flexible tissue called cartilage that’s slowly replaced by hard bone as the baby develops.
Your funny bone is in your:
Even though it’s really connected to your upper arm bone (the humerus), you may not find hitting your funny bone a laughing matter. If you’ve ever hit your elbow in that certain spot, you know it can cause a weird tingling or a dull pain. But never mind the name -- your funny bone isn’t a bone at all. It’s a nerve that runs down the humerus to the inside part of your elbow.
When do bones stop growing?
Bones usually stop growing when you're in your late 20s, but they keep changing. As you age, bones lose density and get thinner and easier to break. You can help keep them healthy by getting plenty of calcium and vitamin D, and by doing exercises that keep you on your feet.
Bones make red and white blood cells.
Bones have a few different jobs. They give our bodies structure and allow us to move. They protect our organs from damage -- your skull protects your brain and your ribs protect your heart, lungs, and liver. Your bones also make red blood cells, which carry proteins and oxygen to tissues, and white blood cells, which help fight infections.
Which bone gets broken the most often?
The clavicle, better known as the collar bone, leads the list of breaks. It can be easily fractured by hits to the shoulder or by falling on your hand or arm. Breaks in the hands and arms are common as well, because we often use them to try and stop falls.
The bubbles in soft drinks harm your bones.
Let's put this old wives’ tale to rest. The bubbly carbonation in soft drinks won’t hurt your bones, but that doesn’t mean drinking soda is a good idea. Some studies show that the caffeine and phosphorus in colas can weaken your bones. If you want to drink something good for your bones, choose milk or a beverage with extra calcium, like fortified orange juice.
How many bones in your body are not connected to other bones?
Remember a song called “Dem Bones?” That old tune might have helped you remember that the leg bone is connected to the knee bone. But it sure didn’t mention the hyoid, a V-shaped bone at the base of your tongue. The hyoid is the only bone that isn’t connected to another one.
Is smoking bad for your bones?
It’s well known that cigarettes are bad for your lungs, heart, and overall health. But they’re also bad for your bones. Nicotine and other chemicals in cigarettes make it harder for your body to absorb the calcium your bones need to stay strong. Cigarettes lower vitamin D levels, too.
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