Abstract

GUEDE, D.; GONZALEZ, P.  and  CAEIRO, J.R.. Biomechanics and bone (1): Basic concepts and classical mechanical trials. Rev Osteoporos Metab Miner [online]. 2013, vol.5, n.1, pp.43-50. ISSN 2173-2345.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1889-836X2013000100008.

The principals of classical mechanics are applied to the study of the resistance of materials to fracture when subject to a certain load. Bone has been, for a long time, the object of study in the field of mechanics in order to understand and resolve problems of fracture associated with deficient mechanical behaviour which may exist due to factors such as age or certain pathologies. The great quantity of specific vocabulary used in biomechanics, derived as it is from the terminology of mechanical engineering, makes it very difficult, on occasion, for researchers specialising in bone and mineral metabolism to interpret information available in the literature on the resistance of bone. The objective of this work is to describe as briefly and concisely as possible the main concepts and fundamental principles used in biomechanics, focused on their application to bone tissue. In addition, the main mechanical trials carried out on whole bones or on samples of trabecular or cortical bone are reviewed.

Keywords : biomechanics; bone tissue; bone strength; mechanical concepts.

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