Structural behaviour and strain distribution of the long bones of the human lower limbs

Abstract

Although stiffness and strength of lower limb bones have been investigated in the past, information is not complete. While the femur has been extensively investigated, little information is available about the strain distribution in the tibia, and the fibula has not been tested in vitro. This study aimed at improving the understanding of the biomechanics of lower limb bones by: (i) measuring the stiffness and strain distributions of the different low limb bones; (ii) assessing the effect of viscoelasticity in whole bones within a physiological range of strain-rates; (iii) assessing the difference in the behaviour in relation to opposite directions of bending and torsion. The structural stiffness and strain distribution of paired femurs, tibias and fibulas from two donors were measured. Each region investigated of each bone was instrumented with 8-16 triaxial strain gauges (over 600 grids in total). Each bone was subjected to 6-12 different loading configurations. Tests were replicated at two different loading speeds covering the physiological range of strain-rates. Viscoelasticity did not have any pronounced effect on the structural stiffness and strain distribution, in the physiological range of loading rates explored in this study. The stiffness and strain distribution varied greatly between bone segments, but also between directions of loading. Different stiffness and strain distributions were observed when opposite directions of torque or opposite directions of bending (in the same plane) were applied. To our knowledge, this study represents the most extensive collection of whole-bone biomechanical properties of lower limb bones.

Precision of Digital Volume Correlation Approaches for Strain Analysis in Bone Imaged with Micro-Computed Tomography at Different Dimensional Levels

“…This problem can be tackled by the reliable estimation of the 3D internal full-field distribution of local properties, such as displacements and strain for the considered construct in different loading conditions. However, such measurements are not trivial because standard methods such as strain gauges (Cristofolini et al, 2010a, or digital image correlation (Gustafson et al, 2017) can only provide information on the external surface. Two options are left.…”

Proximal femur elastic behaviour is the same in impact and constant displacement rate fall simulation

“…However, researchers examining bone have shown that the viscoelastic effects are limited (Linde et al, 1991;Carter and Hayes, 1977), and that whole bones exhibit low viscoelasticity (Cristofolini et al, 2010). Material level studies suggest that the viscoelastic response of bone is connected to the organic matrix (Fois et al, 2001) (which is unknown for the current specimen groups), and to hydrodynamic effects of bone marrow at high strain rates (Carter and Hayes, 1977).…”

Is bone loss the reversal of bone accrual? evidence from a cross-sectional study in daughter-mother-grandmother trios

“…As a result, the loads applied on the tibial shaft increased, with larger strains on the anterior side than elsewhere. (20,21) Such mechanical change can be sensed by osteocytes and osteoblasts, (22,23) which initiate periosteal apposition preferentially where the highest strains exist. (24,25) Accordingly, in this analysis the most significant difference in bone mass between 18-year-old girls and their mothers was found in the anterior region.…”