Abstract
Bone responds to stress either through bone growth or bone loss. In this chapter, we investigate how bone biomechanical changes, including growth, loss, and asymmetry, can inform our understanding of pathological conditions, and, importantly, life after illness and injury. Through a detailed discussion of the clinical and animal evidence for disuse bone loss, we synthesise and report phases and features that bioarchaeologists can recognise in skeletal remains. We contextualise this discussion with examples representing the current state of bioarchaeological studies in this area. We end the chapter with a conversation about future directions for archaeologists interested in investigating functional consequences, adaptation, and recovery following pathological conditions.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Behaviour in our Bones |
| Subtitle of host publication | How Human Behaviour Influences Skeletal Morphology |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Pages | 281-307 |
| Number of pages | 27 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780128213834 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780128213841 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 27 Feb 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords
- Adaptation
- Amputation
- Biomechanics
- Bone loss
- Directional asymmetry
- Impairment
- Infectious disease
- Injury
- Mechanical unloading
- Recovery