QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

First published online June 16, 2004
Journal of Experimental Biology 207, 2577-2588 (2004)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2004
doi: 10.1242/jeb.01065

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in JEB Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Main, R. P. Articles by Biewener, A. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Main, R. P. Articles by Biewener, A. A. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Ontogenetic patterns of limb loading, in vivo bone strains and growth in the goat radius

Russell P. Main^* and Andrew A. Biewener

Concord Field Station, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 100 Old Causeway Road, Bedford, MA 01730, USA

^* Author for correspondence (e-mail: rmain{at}oeb.harvard.edu)

Accepted 30 April 2004

As tetrapods increase in size and weight through ontogeny, the limb skeleton must grow to accommodate the increases in body weight and the resulting locomotor forces placed upon the limbs. No study to date, however, has examined how morphological changes in the limb skeleton during growth reflect ontogenetic patterns of limb loading and the resulting stresses and strains produced in the limbs. The goal of this study was to relate forelimb loads to in vivo bone strains in the radius of the domestic goat (Capra hircus) across a range of gaits and speeds through ontogeny while observing how the growth patterns of the bone relate to the mechanics of the limb. In vivo bone strains in the radius were recorded from two groups of juvenile goats (4 kg, 6 weeks and 9 kg, 15 weeks) and compared with previously reported strain data for the radius of adult goats. Ontogenetic strain patterns were examined in relation to peak forelimb ground reaction forces, ontogenetic scaling patterns of cross-sectional geometry and bone curvature, and percentage mineral ash content. Peak principal longitudinal tensile strains on the cranial surface and compressive strains on the caudal surface of the radius increased during ontogeny but maintained a uniform distribution, resulting in the radius being loaded primarily in bending through ontogeny. The increase in strain occurred despite uniform loading (relative to body weight) of the forelimb through ontogeny. Instead, the increase in bone strain resulted from strong negative growth allometry of the cross-sectional area (M^0.53) and medio-lateral and cranio-caudal second moments of area (I_MLM^1.03, I_CCM^0.84) of the radius and only a small increase (+2.8%) in mineral ash content. Even though bone strains increased with growth and age, strains in the younger goats were small enough to suggest that they maintain safety factors at least comparable with adults when moving at similar absolute speeds. Increased variability of loading in juvenile animals may also favor the more robust dimensions of the radius, and possibly other limb bones, early in growth.

Key words: bone geometry, bone growth, bone strain, limb loading, ontogeny, scaling

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

Related articles in JEB:

LEGS UNDER STRAIN

Kathryn Phillips
JEB 2004 207: iii. [Full Text]  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. W. Young, D. Fernandez, and J. G. Fleagle Ontogeny of long bone geometry in capuchin monkeys (Cebus albifrons and Cebus apella): implications for locomotor development and life history Biol Lett, October 28, 2009; (2009) rsbl.2009.0773v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. W. Young Ontogeny of joint mechanics in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis): functional implications for mammalian limb growth and locomotor development J. Exp. Biol., May 15, 2009; 212(10): 1576 - 1591. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. T. Butcher, N. R. Espinoza, S. R. Cirilo, and R. W. Blob In vivo strains in the femur of river cooter turtles (Pseudemys concinna) during terrestrial locomotion: tests of force-platform models of loading mechanics J. Exp. Biol., August 1, 2008; 211(15): 2397 - 2407. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. T. Butcher and R. W. Blob Mechanics of limb bone loading during terrestrial locomotion in river cooter turtles (Pseudemys concinna) J. Exp. Biol., April 15, 2008; 211(8): 1187 - 1202. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.E Miller, C Basu, G Fritsch, T Hildebrandt, and J.R Hutchinson Ontogenetic scaling of foot musculoskeletal anatomy in elephants J R Soc Interface, April 6, 2008; 5(21): 465 - 475. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. A. Moreno, R. P. Main, and A. A. Biewener Variability in forelimb bone strains during non-steady locomotor activities in goats J. Exp. Biol., April 1, 2008; 211(7): 1148 - 1162. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. P. Main and A. A. Biewener Skeletal strain patterns and growth in the emu hindlimb during ontogeny J. Exp. Biol., August 1, 2007; 210(15): 2676 - 2690. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Demes, K. J. Carlson, and T. M. Franz Cutting corners: the dynamics of turning behaviors in two primate species J. Exp. Biol., March 1, 2006; 209(5): 927 - 937. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. W. Herring, S. C. Pedersen, and X. Huang Ontogeny of bone strain: the zygomatic arch in pigs J. Exp. Biol., December 1, 2005; 208(23): 4509 - 4521. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. A. Biewener Biomechanical consequences of scaling J. Exp. Biol., May 1, 2005; 208(9): 1665 - 1676. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Phillips LEGS UNDER STRAIN J. Exp. Biol., July 1, 2004; 207(15): iii - iii. [Full Text]