Experimental fatigue fracture of the human cadaveric femoral neck

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Griffiths, W. E. G.; Swanson, S. A. V.; Freeman, M. A. R.

Experimental fatigue fracture of the human cadaveric femoral neck

J Bone Joint Surg. February 1971;53B(1):136-143

Abstract
1. Thirty-seven specimens of the proximal third of the human femur were subjected to cyclically varying loads applied in a physiological direction to the femoral head, having maximum values of from four to thirteen times body weight.
2. Ten of these specimens sustained subcapital fractures of the femoral neck after numbers of cycles of loading varying from 123 to 8,193.
3. The maximum value of cyclic load needed to give fatigue fracture after 10,000 or fewer cycles was found to vary from about twelve times the body weight at ages twenty to fifty to about five times the body weight at age seventy or more.
4. In youth and in middle age the load levels mentioned above are greater than those encountered in normal living, but are comparable to those which may be applied to the femoral head during activities known to produce "fatigue" fractures clinically in young adults.
5. In the elderly the load levels mentioned above are within the range that can be applied in normal living. It is inferred that some femoral neck fractures in the elderly may be fatigue fractures caused by the cyclic loading of normal walking.
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DOI: 10.1302/0301-620X.53B1.136
Cited Works (1)

Year Entry

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Cited By (14)

Year	Entry
1988	Melton LJ III, Chao EYS, Lane J. Biomechanical aspects of fractures. In: Riggs BL, Melton LJ III, eds. Osteoporosis: Etiology, Diagnosis, and Management. New York, NY: Raven Press; 1988:111-131.
1977	Carter DR, Hayes WC. Compact bone fatigue damage: a microscopic examination. Clin Orthop Relat Res. September 1977;127:265-274.
1976	Carter DR, Hayes WC. Fatigue life of compact bone, I: effects of stress amplitude, temperature and density. J Biomech. 1976;9(1):27-34.
1992	Choi K, Goldstein SA. A comparison of the fatigue behavior of human trabecular and cortical bone tissue. J Biomech. 1992;25(12):1371-1381.
1997	Hoshaw SJ, Cody DD, Saad AM, Fyhrie DP. Decrease in canine proximal femoral ultimate strength and stiffness due to fatigue damage. J Biomech. April 1997;30(3):323-329.
1998	Bowman SM, Guo XE, Cheng DW, Keaveny TM, Gibson LJ, Hayes WC, McMahon TA. Creep contributes to the fatigue behavior of bovine trabecular bone. J Biomech Eng. October 1998;120(5):647-654.
1972	Todd RC, Freeman MAR, Pirie CJ. Isolated trabecular fatigue fractures in the femoral head. J Bone Joint Surg. November 1972;54B(4):723-728.
1974	Freeman MAR, Todd RC, Pirie CJ. The role of fatigue in the pathogenesis of senile femoral neck fractures. J Bone Joint Surg. November 1974;56B(4):698-702.
1987	Hansson TH, Keller TS, Spengler DM. Mechanical behavior of the human lumbar spine, II: fatigue strength during dynamic compressive loading. J Orthop Res. 1987;5(4):479-487.
1993	Guo X-DE. Fatigue of Trabecular Bone [PhD thesis]. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University; 1993.
1997	Bowman SM. Creep of Trabecular Bone [PhD thesis]. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University; May 1997.
1988	Lotz JC. Hip Fracture Risk Predictions by X-Ray Computed Tomography [PhD thesis]. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology; August 1988.
1997	Sabick MB. The Effects of Fall Direction and Protective Responses on the Likelihood of Hip Fracture in Falls [PhD thesis]. University of Iowa; August 1997.
1991	Choi K. The Micro Mechanical Properties of Bone Tissue [PhD thesis]. University of Michigan; 1991.