Mechanical Stress, Functional Adaptation and the Variation Structure of the Human Femur Diaphysis

According to the classical theory of functional structure of bone which was developed by J. Wolff (1884, 1892) and W. Roux (1895) following the investigations of the functional architecture of the substantia spongiosa by H. von Meyer (1867), bone is "functionally" laid down in gross form as well as in minute architecture in accordance with the "maximum-minimum-law". As a result of functional adaptation, a maximum of efficiency is achieved with a minimum of material (Kummer, 1962a). In this ...