Bones communicate with the rest of the body to support overall health – here’s the science behind your skeleton

Healing after a fracture is just one way your bones contribute to your body's overall health. seksan Mongkhonkhamsao/Moment via Getty Images

Each year, doctors treat more than 6 million bone fractures in the United States. And while it takes only a few seconds for a bone to break, the processes that keep your bones strong and allow them to heal are taking place continuously throughout your life.

Beneath their hard surface, your bones are alive with activity, continuously being broken down, rebuilt and reshaped. Far from being static structures that simply support the body, bones are dynamic, living tissues that respond to physical activity, hormones and the body’s changing needs.