Savannah Kruse

November 8, 2016
5th Period Anatomy
SKELETAL SYSTEM LAB REPORT
This lab report addresses bone matrix, pressure and force of bones of the foot, and
osteoporosis. Bone cells, or osteocytes, are composed of many structures and functions (See
Figure 1). One of the most unique structures found in the bone, though, is the bone matrix.
Bone Matrices are defined as the extracellular substances surrounding bone tissues. The matrix
itself is composed of inorganic salts and collagen fibers. Observations during the Bone Matrix
Lab (See Table 1) revealed that when preserved in vinegar, matrix was composed of collagen
fibers, as the inorganic salts were dissolved. Fresh bone contained the natural matrix comprised
of both, and the dry bone matrix was made of strictly inorganic salts, as the collagen had
dehydrated. While naturally occurring conditions are not this extreme, they do still exist and can
lead to some serious health issues including bone fractures, fragility, or even death. A study
conducted by Dr. Seung-Wuk Lee revealed that high ionic concentrations of sodium suppress
bone demineralization and bone defects can accelerate the demineralization of bone crystal.
The solution to this problem would be by simply removing the exposure to the acidic buffers
created by the osteoclasts during the bone remodeling cycle. Because of this, the harm caused
by bone-deteriorating diseases could be prevented or possibly even reversed.
The Force Variance Lab conducted consisted of finding the force, area, and pressure of
standing, walking, and jumping onto a force plate with the right leg only with the soles of
barefoot, a Nike sneaker, and a platform heel (See Table 2 and Figure 2). The information
gathered revealed that though the forces each time were nearly similar, the pressure varied
drastically due to the area of the soles surface, using the formula Force/Area=Pressure. The
force graphs themselves were generally similar (See Figures 3a, 3b, and 3c), but because each
surface varied how the foot would land and balance, there were slight variances in the readings,
and when converting the force values to pressure, the surface with the smaller area
experienced a much harsher pressure. The most drastic difference was the pressure values for
jumping in a tennis shoe (8.44 Pa) vs in a high heel (22.60 Pa). Studies have shown that while
walking barefoot may not be clean, it is more natural and is healthier for your arch. While tennis
shoes can help to distribute the pressure of walking, they can lead to a flat-footed gait, and
cause plantar fasciitis in the arch of the foot. Heeled shoes, though, are the worst for your foot
and bone health, causing serious issues in the toes, navicular bone, metatarsals, can cause
severe ankle injuries, and heel spurs. The force exerted on different areas of the body in
general, can affect how much pressure bones experience and is cause of bone inflammation
and deterioration.
The bone remodeling cycle consists of three phases: resorption of old bone, reversal of
disintegration, and formation of new bone (See Figure 4). When the cycle is affected, it leads to
a deteriorative condition called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis occurs most commonly in the spine,
hips, and wrists of smokers, perimenopausal women (ages 45-70), steroid users, and
individuals with a family history. In fact, if a family member has a degenerative bone disease,
there is a 50-85% chance of an individual developing one as well. Calcium is crucial to the bone
remodeling cycle and is released into the body when instructed by the parathyroid hormone.
Similarly, alcohol, steroids, smoking, sodium and caffeine decrease calcium absorption, which
leads to a decrease in bone mass. Supplements (Calcium, Vitamin C, and Hormone
Replacement Therapy), diet, and exercise are able to prevent and in some cases reverse the
damage done during bone density loss.

Figure 1. Labeled Histology Slide of a Transverse section of Connective Bone Tissue. Includes
labels for structures found within bone cells. Photo by Author.
Table 1. Bone Extracellular Matrix Comparison Data. Data Recorded and Collected by Author.
Specimen

Vinegar-Preserved Bone

Fresh Bone

Dry Bone

Description

Collagen Fibers

Collagen Fibers and

Inorganic Salts

Inorganic Salts

Conditions
and Diseases

Hypophosphatemia
Mineral Deficiency
Hyponatremia
Rickets

Normal, Healthy
Bones
Osteosarcoma

Osteoporosis
Osteopenia
Osteogenesis
Imperfecta

Table 2. Bone Force Variance of Right Leg Data. Data Recorded and Collected by Author.
SOLE

Barefoot Sole

Huarache Sole

High Heel Sole

ACTION

Stan
d

Walk

Jump

Stand

Walk

Jump

Stand

Walk

Jump

FORCE (N)

736

671

1665

729

780

1989

732

721

1373

AREA (cm2)
PRESSURE
(Pa)

177
4.16

3.79

235.75
9.4

3.09

3.31

60.75
8.44

12.05

11.87

22.60

Figure 2. Pressure Graph for each of the three soles used in Force Variance Lab. Values based
on data in Table 2. Photo by Author.

Figure 3a. Stepping onto and Standing on a Force Plate with a bare foot. Because the subjects
bare foot is high-arched, a heel to toe reading was experienced, and most of the force was
reported on the toe/ ball of foot. Photo by Author.

Figure 3b. Stepping onto and Standing on a Force Plate with a Tennis Shoe Sole. Having a
thick, wide sole, the step onto the plate was flat-footed and force was distributed throughout the
area and had a smaller amount of variance. Photo by Author.

Figure 3c. Stepping onto and Standing on a Force Plate with a high-heeled sole. Due to a very
small surface area of the sole, the step was a toe-to-heel one so that balancing would be easier
to accomplish. Photo by author.

Figure 4. Infographic describing Osteoporosis, the bone remodeling cycle, homeostasis of

minerals, and the effects of substances on calcium levels in the body. Photo by Author.

The main question remaining is if there were a way to map the force on the foot itself,
rather than on the plate, is there a way to relieve pressure to the regions affected while
maintaining the sole? How would pressures affect the bones of people who dont necessary
have limbs; if they were to have a false limb and wore a certain type of sole, would it affect the
artificial structure or their own system?
Citations
1. The Structure and Functions of Bones. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2016, from
http://www.ivyroses.com/HumanBody/Skeletal/Skeletal_System.php
2. Shier, D., Butler, J., & Lewis, R. (2013). Hole's Human Anatomy and Physiology(13th
ed.). New York, NY: McGraw -Hill.
3. Chapter 7: Skeletal System. (2013). In H
ole's Human Anatomy and Physiology (13th ed.,
pp. 201-287). New York, NY: McGraw -Hill.
4. Lee, S. (n.d.). Research at Bio-Inspired Nano material Lab. Retrieved November 28,
2016, from http://leelab.berkeley.edu/research.php
5. Bacigalupo, J. (2016, October 23). How Your Shoe Choice Affects More Than Just Foot
Health - A Sweat Life. Retrieved November 29, 2016, from
http://asweatlife.com/2016/10/how-your-shoe-choice-affects-more-than-just-foot-health/
6. Hadjita, D. (2006, December). Bone remodeling. Retrieved November 30, 2016, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17308163
7. Figure 1 [Personal photograph taken in C.H. Yoe High School]. (2016, October 27).
8. Kruse, S. (2016, October 28). [Table 1]. Unpublished raw data.
9. Kruse, S. (2016, November 10). [Table 2]. Unpublished raw data.
10. Figure 2 [Personal photograph taken in C.H. Yoe High School]. (2016, November 28).
11. Figure 3a [Personal photograph taken in C.H. Yoe High School]. (2016, November 18).
12. Figure 3b [Personal photograph taken in C.H. Yoe High School]. (2016, November 18).
13. Figure 3c [Personal photograph taken in C.H. Yoe High School]. (2016, November 18).
14. Figure 4 [Personal photograph taken in C.H. Yoe High School]. (2016, November 8).