The material and structural basis of the growth-related gain and age-related loss of bone strength

Abstract

Differences in bone size, shape, microstructure and material composition account for differences in bone strength between individuals, sexes and races. The variance in bone morphology is established during the first 2 years of life and does not vary much subsequently. During growth, an increasing volume of bone matrix is assembled with varying medullary and cortical canal void volumes establishing bone's external dimension and differing configuration of its matrix forming the compact bone, the transitional compartment and porous trabecular compartment. Growth in height is the result of appendicular and axial growth. As longitudinal growth is more rapid in the appendicular than axial skeleton..