Biomechanics of trabecular bone

Trabecular bone is a complex material with substantial heterogeneity. Its e lastic and strength properties vary widely across anatomic sites, and with aging and disease. Although these properties depend very much on density, t he role of architecture and tissue material properties remain uncertain. It is interesting that the strains at which the bone fails are almost indepen dent of density. Current work addresses the underlying structure-function r elations for such behavior, as well as more complex mechanical behavior, su ch as multiaxial loading, time-dependent failure, and damage accumulation. A unique tool for studying such behavior is the microstructural class of fi nite element models, particularly the "high-resolution" models. It is expec ted that with continued progress in this field, substantial insight will be gained into such important problems as osteoporosis, bone fracture, bone r emodeling, and design/analysis of bone-implant systems. This article review s the state of the art in trabecular bone biomechanics, focusing on the mec hanical aspects, and attempts to identify important areas of current and fu ture research.