title: Mechanical symmetry of rabbit bones studied by bending and indentation testing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether mechanical parameters of rabbit long bones are bilaterally symmetric.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult male New Zealand White rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  17 pairs of femurs, tibias, and humeri were mechanically tested with 3-point bending (for diaphyseal bone) and indentation (for epiphyseal bone).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences were not found between the right and left femur, tibia, or humerus for all bending parameters. Significant differences were not found between the right and left femoral, tibial, or humeral epiphyses for all indentation parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate mechanical symmetry of rabbit long bones in terms of mean value. The study also developed a normal comparable database for bending and indentation parameters of the rabbit femur, tibia, and humerus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425, USA.
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D005269:Femur / Q000502:physiology; D006811:Humerus / Q000502:physiology; D007256:Information Systems; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013977:Tibia / Q000502:physiology