Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: thedoc on 01/05/2013 22:30:02

Title: Are there long-term effects of deliberate bone damage?
Post by: thedoc on 01/05/2013 22:30:02

Mitch Schroeder  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Hi I'm not sure if you answer questions submitted to you but if so I have a question about bone calcification.

I saw a post of yours talk about bone calcification causing brittleness and bone weakening and I've seen other places that it can cause inflexibility within the bones, but all places talk about the diseases that lead to it. I've been watching some shows on martial arts and in many of them the athletes purposefully damage the bone either through a rolling pin (like used for cooking) or by repeatedly striking something hard. They say that the purpose is to deaden the nerves and the little nicks to the bone cause it to calcify and become harder. I can see the short term effects but

I'm wondering if it causes any long term effects in old age, more than in cases where such hardening practices are not undertaken.

What do you think?

Title: Re: Are there long-term effects of deliberate bone damage?
Post by: cheryl j on 02/05/2013 03:34:58

Weight bearing stress and impact increases density but I would worry that hitting it with a rolling pin would cause irregular remodeling and you might just end up with a knob, kind of like the bone spur you get on your heal from badly fitting shoes.