Why is bone growth impossible, for example if growth plates have closed. Knowing how growth plates work, why would applying enough pressure through whatever means you’d like (let’s use a weight for example) allowing to create space within the bone (growth plate) allowing for more bone to grow.
Obviously, you have to apply an exceptional amount of pressure to the epiphyseal to allow the bones to separate, causing growth.
Disclaimer: i’m aware of the basic reasoning behind it, but feel like there is more of a reasoning behind it
In: 3
In my understanding, the growth plates don’t close, they fuse. The structure that causes elongation disappears and is replaced by bone. You can’t reopen this plate because it doesn’t exist – you’d just break the bone and have a fracture.
If you mean snapping your bones, putting a bit of distance between the pieces and trying to have your bones grow to cover the gap… maybe. Sometimes some voids get filled with say coral and the bone grows into it. It would be a rather horrific and impractical procedure in my view.
It’s not necessarily impossible. There are several medical devices dedicated to limb lengthening or even rotational corrections. They provide different forces to the bone and force the body to lay down new bone and lengthen/change the limbs structure. Look up the NuVasive Precise IM nail or Stryker LRF. They are often used in limb deformity correction after a traumatic injury. There even little external fixators designed to lengthen finger bones after someone accidentally cuts one off.
Your bone is actually laying down new bone cells, and eating up old cells all the time. When bone is not being replaced fast enough, people end up with weak bones (osteoporosis).
When your growth plates are fused, it’s not possible to reopen them. Surgeons can lengthen bones however, and can do this by cutting a bone and leaving a small (but stabilised) gap between the two ends of the bone. I believe the gap for the bone to successfully grow in and fill the space is only a couple of millimetres – any more than that they won’t join and you end up with what they call “non-union”.
Latest Answers