Orthopaedic Surgery/Biophysics/Bone

Orthopaedic Surgery

INTRODUCTION · AUTHORS · ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS · NOTE TO AUTHORS
1.Basic Sciences · 2.Upper Limb · 3.Foot and Ankle · 4.Spine · 5.Hand and Microsurgery · 6.Paediatric Orthopaedics · 7.Adult Reconstruction · 8.Sports Medicine · 9.Musculoskeletal Tumours · 10.Injury · 11.Surgical Procedures · 12.Rehabilitation · 13.Practice
Current Chapter: Basic Sciences


Biophysics of Bone
<<Ceramics Ligaments and Tendons>>


Life forms with low body mass can exploit varied niches and evade predators. The bones provide levers to effect speed and strength while minimizing body mass; the material stiffness of bone derives from the triple helical structure of type 1 collagen encrusted with hydroxyapatite crystals. While this composite structure is strong and light its performance as a biomaterial is critically dependent on ongoing remodeling of microtrauma sustained in the course of daily mechanical stresses.