The mechanical properties of bone.

2 Department of Anatomy and Highway Safety Research Institute, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48104. BONE is the material with which the orthopaedic surgeon deals. Consequently, some knowledge of its mechanical properties is of importance for an understanding of the mechanism and management of fractures, as well as the design of prosthetic or orthotic appliances and protective gear, e.g., crash helmets. The behavior of a body under a load or force is a function not only of the form and structure of the body, but also of the mechanical properties of the material composing the body. For example, a steel beam will support a higher load before breaking and will behave differently under loading than will an oak beam of exactly the same shape and dimensions because of differences in the mechanical properties and structure of steel and of wood.