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How do anisotropy and age affect fatigue and damage in cancellous bone?
Sebastian Dendorfer1, Hans J Maier, Joachim Hammer
1Laboratory for Materials Science, University of Applied Sciences Regensburg, Germany. sdendorfer@lwn-regensburg.de
Studies in Health Technology and Informatics
|April 1, 2008
Summary
Fatigue life of human vertebral cancellous bone significantly decreases with age. This age-related decline is more severe for bone samples not aligned with the main physiological axis, indicating increased sensitivity to off-axis loading.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Orthopedic Research
- Mechanobiology
Background:
- Understanding material fatigue is crucial for predicting failure under cyclic loading.
- Limited data exists on the fatigue behavior of trabecular bone, with structural factors often overlooked.
- The impact of off-axis loading and age on bone fatigue remains poorly characterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the fatigue behavior of human vertebral cancellous bone under cyclic compression.
- To assess the influence of age and load alignment on bone fatigue properties.
- To determine the relationship between initial modulus and fatigue lifetime in relation to age and loading conditions.
Main Methods:
- Cyclic compression testing was performed on human vertebral cancellous bone specimens.
- Specimens were grouped and tested under varying conditions, including alignment with the main physiological axis.
- Initial modulus and fatigue lifetime data were recorded and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Initial modulus and fatigue lifetime were found to be highly dependent on the age of the bone.
- A significant decrease in both initial modulus and fatigue lifetime was observed with increasing age.
- This age-related decline was substantially more pronounced in specimens not aligned with the main physiological axis.
Conclusions:
- Age is a critical factor influencing the fatigue behavior of human vertebral cancellous bone.
- Older bone exhibits significantly reduced fatigue resistance, particularly when subjected to loads not aligned with the physiological axis.
- These findings highlight the increased vulnerability of aged bone to failure under complex loading scenarios.
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