Modelling of a finite element mesh for the tibia of a spinal cord injured patient

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) provides a natural model of the effects of unloading of the bones through paralysis. In paraplegia, bone loss can occur rapidly and extensively in the paralysed lower limbs whilst the upper limbs remain unaffected. Coupaud et al. (2011) report that some patients develop osteoporosis in the tibia and femur even within the first year of injury. Weakening of the bones after SCI is accompanied by a substantially increased risk of fracture. Lower-limb fractures often result from everyday activities, such as a transfer between the wheelchair and the bed. There is a clinical need to understand the macro-structural behaviour of the long bones in the body in order to develop potential physical treatments to tackle this musculoskeletal disorder in SCI patients.