• Question: If your bone goes the wrong way would you have to replace it?

    Asked by natrualme to Jemma, John, Lisa, Sam on 28 May 2012.
    • Photo: Jemma Ransom

      Jemma Ransom answered on 28 May 2012:

      Hi again @naturalme

      I’m not sure what you mean by goes the wrong way, but generally bones don’t require replacing!
      One of the really cool things about the skeleton is that it completely regenerates itself every few years. Also, if you put strain on any particular bone, it becomes stronger as it regenerates. So for instance if you break a bone, it will heal to be stronger than it was originally so that it is less likely to break again.

      Jemma

    • Photo: Lisa Fitzgerald

      Lisa Fitzgerald answered on 28 May 2012:

      Hi @naturalme,

      As Jemma said you rarely need to replace a whole bone unless it has had to be removed because of a tumour or something similar. It is the ends of bones, the sections with move against other bones in the joints that have to be replaced as the cartilage which covers them wears out. Unfortunately, unlike bones cartilage does not regenerate or regrow when damaged.

      Lisa

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