Fibula: The forgotten bone – May it provide some insight on a wider scope for bone mechanostat control?

Abstract

The human fibula responds to its mechanical environment differently from the tibia accordingly with foot usage. Fibula structure is unaffected by disuse, and is stronger concerning lateral bending in soccer players (who evert and rotate the foot) and weaker in long-distance runners (who jump while running) with respect to untrained controls, along the insertion region of peroneus muscles. These features, strikingly associated to the abilities of the fibulae of predator and prey quadrupeds to manage uneven surfaces and to store elastic energy to jump, respectively, suggest that bone mechanostat would control bone properties with high selective connotations beyond structural strength.