Fig. 1

Biomechanical setup, diaphyseal bone cross sections and load–displacement diagram. First column a: Setup of 3-point bending for femurs, tibiae and humeri. Individual adjustment of breaking and loading bars for each bone specimen correspond to pQCT-measurement areas. Femurs and humeri are loaded in ap-direction, tibiae in pa-direction. Second column b: Schemes of cross-sectional pQCT-images at the level of the loading intender (femur, tibia and humerus). Arrows mark the direction of the applied force. Load–displacement diagram of the six tested bones of one individuum (c). X axis shows the deformation in mm, y axis the reaction forces in N. The fracture-curves of both sides were very similar and characteristically for the bone-subtype tested