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Mechanical properties of microcallus in human cancellous bone
Author(s) -
Blackburn Joanne,
Hodgskinson Richard,
Currey John D.,
Mason Jennifer E.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of orthopaedic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.041
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1554-527X
pISSN - 0736-0266
DOI - 10.1002/jor.1100100211
Subject(s) - cancellous bone , femur , anatomy , tibia , materials science , human bone , indentation hardness , stiffness , biomedical engineering , composite material , chemistry , medicine , surgery , biochemistry , in vitro , microstructure
Until now, the mechanical properties of the microcalluses that form in human cancellous bone have been unexplained. We measured the micro‐hardnesses of microcalluses in cancellous bone, of the trabeculae within the microcalluses, of the trabeculae adjacent to microcalluses, and of trabeculae lacking microcalluses in a human tibia and femur. We observed no important differences between materials at the four different sites. Because the microhardness of bone is very closely related to its stiffness, this finding indicates that microcalluses are likely to stiffen the trabeculae in which they are formed, even though they may surround unhealed fractures of the cancellous trabeculae.