Nanoindentation of Human Trabecular Bone – Tissue Mechanical Properties Compared to Standard Engineering Test Methods

There are generally two types of bone tissue: trabecular and cortical. Cortical bone is the more dense tissue found on the surface of bones and trabecular bone is a highly porous structure that fills the proximal and distal ends of all long bones (e.g. femur or tibia) and is also present as a filler in other bones (e.g. in vertebral bodies). While at themolecular level both the cortical and trabecular bone are made of the same constituents, their overall mechanical properties are quite different.