Functional adaptation in long bones: Establishing in vivo values for surface remodeling rate coefficients

Abstract

In this paper we describe a computational means, based on beam theory, for application of the theory of adaptive elasticity to examples of real bone geometries. The results of the animal experiments were taken from the literature, and each documented the temporal evolution of a change in bone shape after a significant change in the mechanical loading environment of the bone. For each of these studies, we establish preliminary estimates of the in vivo values of the surface remodeling rate coefficients—the key parameters in the theory of surface remodeling. Our preliminary parameter estimates are established by comparison of published animal experimental results with surface remodeling theory predictions generated by the computational method.