THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Eric Snively A ... - Ohio University

of strain energy evident in Figure 4.6 shows that the proximally constricted
portion of MT III was potentially vulnerable to damage.
DISCUSSION
FEA direcfly supports the energy transference hypothesis
The results corroborate the hypothesis that energy was transferred from MT
III to adjacent elements when the metatarsus was normal to the substrate (Holtz
1994a), and suggest a mechanism for this transfer. Figures 4.5 and 4.6 indicate
that if energy transference did not take place, strain would become concentrated
in the weakest part of the metatarsal, its fragile proximal splint. Strain parallel to
the long axis of the metatarsus also occurred where distal ligament correlates are
found on MT III (Figure 4.4). The concentration of bone strain energy at these
locations implies that MT III wedged up between MT II and MT IV, The
correspondence with ligament scars indicates that ligaments probably absorbed
strain energy as MT III was displaced vertically. Strain results from the first
analysis, therefore, suggest that ligaments facilitated the transfer of footfall
energies along the long axis of the metatarsus.
FEA results complement the tensional keystone hypothesis
Results from the second analysis indicate that when the metatarsus was
inclined to the substrate, ligaments would prevent damage to the splint of MT III
from bending stresses. If distal ligaments were not present to damp the