Just the bare bones this week as we find out how exercise strengthens the skeleton and how new scanning techniques can help to pick up osteoporosis earlier and inform its management. We also try out a new gadget for measuring the force muscles can apply and, in the news, discover what a self-healing tumour can tell us about common cancers, evidence that mammalian hearts can repair themselves and a new laser-based tool for diagnosing melanoma. Plus, how the bones of people who died up to a hundred years ago are helping scientists to combat chronic back pain by building a computer model of the backbone...
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“Self-healing” is not a word that people usually associate with cancer. But researchers studying a very unusual and rare form of skin cancer that can clear up by itself have learned some lessons that could potentially lead to new treatments for the disease in the future...
A surprising discovery suggests cardiac self-repair may be possible...
It’s estimated that 80% of us will suffer from a bad back at some time in our lives, but the condition is hard to treat because the causes of it are so varied. Now, researchers have come up with a new way of testing out new treatments with a little help from our ancestors...
Scientists have developed a new tool that could significantly improve the sensitivity of melanoma screening techniques...
Planet Earth podcast presenter Richard Hollingham has been asking what have the Romans ever done for us? Well, apart from building baths, sewers in cities and education, it turns out they were also into recycling...
There are 206 bones in the average adult human, but how do our bones grow and develop and what controls how strong they become? We’re joined by Professor Tim Skerry from the Mellanby Centre for Bone Research at the University of Sheffield where he’s looking at the impacts of ex...
Every year, about 75,000 people suffer a hip fracture in the UK and a majority of those will be down to the condition osteoporosis. Dr. Ken Poole is a rheumatologist at the University of Cambridge where he’s studying how bones weaken and change with age...
When muscles are injured or weakened, patients are usually referred to a physiotherapist for help, regaining their strength or improving their range of movement. But it can be difficult for the physio to accurately gauge the work load the patient can safely tolerate and the lev...
What diet & nutritional factors are important for bone strength?
Why is it that a healed break or fracture can be said to be stronger than before it was broken?
Why are steroid inhalers bad for bones?
I know that bones are formed from cartilage tissue. Then how is possible that in the human body we can also find cartilage tissue undifferentiated in bones?
Exactly how much force does it take to snap the femur in half? That happened to me, and I heard the force needed is high.
Can we strengthen our skulls? and how can we strengthen our spines?
I've read our bones inner tissue gets replaced by fat as we grow older, why does that happen?
Do bones stop taking calcium after 35? If yes why?
Hello from Toronto in Canada ! I would like to ask Chris if there is any difference either anatomically, or physiologically between the bones in people from different races around the world, and if so, what and why ?
Thanks a lot !
Max Quijan...o.
Dear Dr Chris,
I have at times heard you on 702 and am impressed with your vast knowledge on seemingly any subject.
Please can you offer advice on how to cure/prevent leg cramps. I am a 69 year old male and have suffered leg cramps for many years. They occur mostly in bed...
The bones of people who died up to a hundred years ago are being used in the development of new treatments for chronic back pain...
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