Six rare bone disorders you probably haven’t heard of
An x-ray of a patient with melorheostosis (NIH Image Gallery/)For February, we’re focusing on the body parts that shape us, oxygenate us, and power us as we take long walks on the beach. Bony bonafide bones. These skeletal building blocks inspire curiosity and spark fear in different folks—we hope our stories, covering everything from surgeries and supplements to good old-fashioned boning, will only do the first. Once you’ve thoroughly blasted your mind with bone facts, check out our previous themed months: muscle and fat.Bones are, quite literally, the foundation of your whole body. Without them, you are a pile of goo. With them, though, you are a pile of goo that can hold yourself upright and walk, run, skip, and jump as you please.So when things go wrong with your bones, everything can become a mess. Beyond your basic fractures and hip replacements, there are some strange and unusual disorders...