BONE STRAIN-GAUGE DATA AND THEORETICAL-MODELS OF FUNCTIONAL ADAPTATION

The in vitro implantation of strain gages on the surface of bones has proven to be a very useful technique for studying the relationship bet ween in vivo loading and bone growth and adaptation. However, data fro m such experiments have yet to be well incorporated within the context of theoretical models of bone adaptation. Methods for analyzing bone rosette strain gage recordings within the framework of strain energy d ensity-based computational modeling/remodeiing theories are presented. A new strain energy density based parameter, energy equivalent strain , is proposed as a single scalar measure of cyclic strain magnitudes a nd the concept of a daily drain stimulus is also introduced. As an ill ustrative example, the approach is applied to analyze previously repor ted in vivo data from the anteromedial human tibia (Lanyon et al., 197 5, Acta orthop. Scand. 36, 256-268).