Mechanobiology of the SkeletonA presentation from the Keystone Symposium Mechanotransduction in Physiology and Disease in Taos, New Mexico, 18 to 23 January 2009.

Mechanical loading of the skeleton is essential for the development, growth, and maintenance of strong, weight-bearing bones. Bone strength is plastic and can be modulated in adults, as illustrated by the increased bone mass in the playing arms of athletes as compared with their nonplaying arms. Our studies have shown that mechanical loading improves bone strength by inducing bone formation in reg…