Disciplines
Biological and Physical Anthropology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The research being conducted for a Practicum in Anthropology is related to the cross-sectional geometric properties of the tibia and fibula. Wolff’s Law states that form follows function, or that when stresses are placed on bone, the bone will remodel through either absorption or deposition in order to maintain optimal strain levels. The majority of research in cross-sectional bone geometry has been on the femur, and that which has been examining the lower leg usually focused on only the tibia. The tibia has managed to escape the focus of research due to the assumption of its lack of importance due to its lesser weight bearing capabilities.
Using a data set of 83 males between the ages of 18 and 30 years who participate in collegiate level sports: field hockey (n=15), distance runners (15), swimmers (15), cricketers (16), and non-athletes (20). Numerous studies have been conducted using this data set including an evaluation of the relationship between soft tissue and skeletal properties (cite). Data was collected using the pQCT scans of the lower leg of these individuals; the scans were imported into ImageJ and analyzed using BoneJ. Data was then stored in an Excel sheet.
The study is examining the correlation between the distance and angle between the tibia and fibula and tibial robusticity. The study hypothesized that the greater the distance between the tibia and fibula would result in a less robust tibia, and vice versus the lesser the distance between the tibia and fibula would result in a more robust tibia. With the angle, it was hypothesized that the closer the fibula was positioned to mediolateral results in a less robust tibia in the mediolateral aspect.
Preliminary finding show that the hypothesis was not supported. There was a positive correlation between distance and all cross-sectional geometric properties for both bones. For the tibia there was a positive correlation between angle and Iy, and for the fibula there was a positive correlation between angle and Iy and J. When examined by groups (depending on sport), field hockey players and cricketers stood out. These two groups had no correlation between distance and Iy (while runners, swimmers, and controls had a positive correlation), and had a positive correlation between angle and Iy (while the other groups had no correlation). While further analysis is still needed, this could be indicative of the different loading patterns of field hockey players and cricketers. These two groups have a more multidirectional, especially mediolateral, loading patterns versus the more anterior- posterior loading patterns of runners, swimmers, and control.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Geography & Anthropology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Alice Fazlollah
Included in
Positional Relationship of the Fibula Relative to the Tibia in Collegiate Athletes
The research being conducted for a Practicum in Anthropology is related to the cross-sectional geometric properties of the tibia and fibula. Wolff’s Law states that form follows function, or that when stresses are placed on bone, the bone will remodel through either absorption or deposition in order to maintain optimal strain levels. The majority of research in cross-sectional bone geometry has been on the femur, and that which has been examining the lower leg usually focused on only the tibia. The tibia has managed to escape the focus of research due to the assumption of its lack of importance due to its lesser weight bearing capabilities.
Using a data set of 83 males between the ages of 18 and 30 years who participate in collegiate level sports: field hockey (n=15), distance runners (15), swimmers (15), cricketers (16), and non-athletes (20). Numerous studies have been conducted using this data set including an evaluation of the relationship between soft tissue and skeletal properties (cite). Data was collected using the pQCT scans of the lower leg of these individuals; the scans were imported into ImageJ and analyzed using BoneJ. Data was then stored in an Excel sheet.
The study is examining the correlation between the distance and angle between the tibia and fibula and tibial robusticity. The study hypothesized that the greater the distance between the tibia and fibula would result in a less robust tibia, and vice versus the lesser the distance between the tibia and fibula would result in a more robust tibia. With the angle, it was hypothesized that the closer the fibula was positioned to mediolateral results in a less robust tibia in the mediolateral aspect.
Preliminary finding show that the hypothesis was not supported. There was a positive correlation between distance and all cross-sectional geometric properties for both bones. For the tibia there was a positive correlation between angle and Iy, and for the fibula there was a positive correlation between angle and Iy and J. When examined by groups (depending on sport), field hockey players and cricketers stood out. These two groups had no correlation between distance and Iy (while runners, swimmers, and controls had a positive correlation), and had a positive correlation between angle and Iy (while the other groups had no correlation). While further analysis is still needed, this could be indicative of the different loading patterns of field hockey players and cricketers. These two groups have a more multidirectional, especially mediolateral, loading patterns versus the more anterior- posterior loading patterns of runners, swimmers, and control.