01/28/2026
It’s true! A newborn’s skeleton is a biological wonder. Instead of hard kneecaps (patellae), babies have soft, flexible cartilage—a built-in shock absorber perfect for learning to crawl! These don't fully solidify into bone until ages 2–6.
Beyond the knees, some babies are even born with "bonus" parts like extra ribs and extra vertebrae!
Last week, we shared how we end up with fewer bones as we age. As these extras fuse and our cartilage hardens into a rigid 206-bone structure, our muscles and fascia work harder to support us.
Massage helps maintain the flexibility around those "grown-up" bones, releasing the tension that leads to adult stiffness so you can feel springy again.