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Reconstructing Mobility pp 273–289Cite as

Femoral Mechanics, Mobility, and Finite Element Analysis

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Abstract

Traditional analyses of long bone morphology, e.g., applying beam theory to imaged cross sections of bone or investigating diaphyseal curvature, examine the effect of skeletal variables on structural integrity separately, an approach that does not incorporate information on the entire bone. Finite element analysis allows exploration of the structural integrity of complete bones under specific loading conditions, providing a more detailed picture of precisely how morphological differences affect a bone’s strength and patterns of stress and strain. Finite element analysis also allows complex variables such as differences in joint configurations between species to be modeled. Finite element models further allow the examination of how bones behave during simulations of particular activities, at various magnitudes of loading, and at different angles of excursion. Here I provide an overview of finite element analysis and examine how it contributes to studies of mobility using a case study of a human femur.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by NSF BCS 1060835 and NSF BCS 0725126. I am especially grateful to Dr. David Strait for his helpful reviews and comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY, 12222, USA

    Kelli H. Tamvada

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  1. Kelli H. Tamvada
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Correspondence to Kelli H. Tamvada .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Kristian J. Carlson

  2. Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Damiano Marchi

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Tamvada, K.H. (2014). Femoral Mechanics, Mobility, and Finite Element Analysis. In: Carlson, K., Marchi, D. (eds) Reconstructing Mobility. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7460-0_15

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