Two doctors have weighed in on why some people are more susceptible to breaking bones, after a strange theory gripped the internet.
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have bones made out of glass while others have never spent a day in a cast?
If you have, then you're not the only one, as a rather strange conspiracy theory suggests there was some kind of 'divine' hidden meaning behind why some people can go their entire lives without breaking a bone.
The theory, which went viral on TikTok last year, suggested that broken bones were the result of someone having a lack of spiritual protection. Or an abundance of bad karma.
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Either way, the entire theory hinged on the idea of a higher power 'choosing' who does and doesn't snap a wrist or fracture an ankle.
It's an argument which certainly gives us food for thought, although I'd imagine that most of us would assume that your risk of breaking a bone is down to something much more straightforward.
Such as the number of potentially bone-breaking accidents you've been involved in or the overall health of your skeleton.
And spoiler alert, these are arguments which are backed up by doctors.
Speaking about the theories in a previous interview with LADbible, Dr Suhail Hussain said your odds of breaking a bone weren't 'random' or 'down to divine protection'.
So, what is it?
Genetics
Your likelihood of ending up in A&E with a broken leg is something which you inherit from your parents, with Dr Hussain saying inherited traits like bone density or the way in which your body processes calcium are crucial to whether or not you're more likely to break a bone.
"Bone strength is largely inherited. That includes how dense your bones are, how well your body processes calcium, and even how your skeleton is built," he said.
"Some of us are naturally more prone to thinner bones — and those can snap more easily under pressure."
This is something which the Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) agrees with, with a spokesperson previously telling LADbible that you're more likely to break a bone if one of your parents has broken their hip.
Age
Age is another important factor in our risk of ending up in plaster, with a person's bone density gradually beginning to decline after the age of 30.
Meanwhile, Dr Claire Merrifield - who works as a GP and medical director at Selph - previously explained to Tyla that menopause also increases the risk of older women breaking a bone.
"As women go through menopause and lose the protective effect of oestrogen, bones become more brittle and can break from much less force, such as fall from small height," she said.
Lifestyle
One factor which is in our control though is diet and lifestyle, with both Dr Hussain and Dr Merrifield agreeing that making healthy choices protects us against breaking a bone.
"It’s essential to eat enough calcium, take vitamin D in winter and take part in exercise with force - things like strength training, running, dancing and jumping are all great for this," Dr Merrifield advised.
Meanwhile, Dr Hussain added that people who smoke, drink excessively and don't exercise are at a greater risk of breaking a bone.
"Lifestyle plays a huge role in whether or not you’ll suffer a fracture one day. In fact, there is probably more you can do to protect yourself from this phenomenon than you realise," he said.
Brenna Cooper