Shape in the Proximal Femoral Metaphyseal Region During Growth: Age or Activity Related Change?
Date
2021-05-25
Authors
Rutherford, Isabelle
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Abstract
The metaphyseal regions of long bones have been largely overlooked by biological anthropologists, despite these regions being highly biologically active during growth and development. Further, while the levels of plasticity and constraint in response to biomechanical loading in the epiphyses and diaphysis of long bones have received attention, levels in the developing metaphyseal region are less well understood. In response to this gap in understanding, this project seeks to describe shape variation in the proximal femoral metaphyseal region during ontogeny and develop possible plasticity through the relationship of shape and activity by applying approaches from 3D Geometric Morphometrics and Cross-Sectional Geometry to scans of archaeologically derived highly active forager populations. The results of the study will summarize ontogenetic shape change in the metaphyseal region and suggest that this region exhibits limited plasticity in response to biomechanical loading. However, it is also suggested that further research should be conducted concerning the metaphyseal surface, and that culturally mediated factors impacting habitual activity should be firmly integrated via a biocultural approach to provide a more nuanced view of the relationship of shape to age and activity.
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Keywords
ontogeny, developmental plasticity, subadults, metaphysis, geometric morphometrics, cross-sectional geometry, biocultural approach