Here’s a bit of science, to help you make sense of BoneWork. bones form the overall framework of our bodies, giving us shape, support, movement and protection. We tend to think of bones as hard, dry and unyielding, as described in the song, ‘dem bones”. This is true of dead bones, most familiar to meat eaters and dog owners. However, living bone is somewhat different. It has a blood supply, a nerve supply and comprises 30 % collagen, which makes it springy and resilient. Bone is therefore a plastic, malleable substance, which can change, given the right conditions.
Scientific research conducted by Dr. Heike Jäger at the University of Ulm, Germany, is beginning to back up what Sharon Wheeler has observed. When compression and tension forces are applied to bone cells, calcium channels in the cells open, enabling calcium phosphate and water to flow in. This softens and nourishes the bone (like adding water to clay) and ultimately, stimulates the production of “bone-forming” and “bone-eating” cells, needed to regenerate bone and sculpt it to the right shape. Calcium is good for bones, making them firm and strong.