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Physical activity alters limb bone structure but not entheseal morphology.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Wallace, IJ; Winchester, JM; Su, A; Boyer, DM; Konow, N
Published in: Journal of human evolution
June 2017

Studies of ancient human skeletal remains frequently proceed from the assumption that individuals with robust limb bones and/or rugose, hypertrophic entheses can be inferred to have been highly physically active during life. Here, we experimentally test this assumption by measuring the effects of exercise on limb bone structure and entheseal morphology in turkeys. Growing females were either treated with a treadmill-running regimen for 10 weeks or served as controls. After the experiment, femoral cortical and trabecular bone structure were quantified with μCT in the mid-diaphysis and distal epiphysis, respectively, and entheseal morphology was quantified in the lateral epicondyle. The results indicate that elevated levels of physical activity affect limb bone structure but not entheseal morphology. Specifically, animals subjected to exercise displayed enhanced diaphyseal and trabecular bone architecture relative to controls, but no significant difference was detected between experimental groups in entheseal surface topography. These findings suggest that diaphyseal and trabecular structure are more reliable proxies than entheseal morphology for inferring ancient human physical activity levels from skeletal remains.

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Published In

Journal of human evolution

DOI

EISSN

1095-8606

ISSN

0047-2484

Publication Date

June 2017

Volume

107

Start / End Page

14 / 18

Related Subject Headings

  • Running
  • Humans
  • Fossils
  • Femur
  • Female
  • Exercise
  • Diaphyses
  • Bone and Bones
  • Bone Density
  • Anthropology
 

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Wallace, I. J., Winchester, J. M., Su, A., Boyer, D. M., & Konow, N. (2017). Physical activity alters limb bone structure but not entheseal morphology. Journal of Human Evolution, 107, 14–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.02.001
Wallace, Ian J., Julia M. Winchester, Anne Su, Doug M. Boyer, and Nicolai Konow. “Physical activity alters limb bone structure but not entheseal morphology.Journal of Human Evolution 107 (June 2017): 14–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.02.001.
Wallace IJ, Winchester JM, Su A, Boyer DM, Konow N. Physical activity alters limb bone structure but not entheseal morphology. Journal of human evolution. 2017 Jun;107:14–8.
Wallace, Ian J., et al. “Physical activity alters limb bone structure but not entheseal morphology.Journal of Human Evolution, vol. 107, June 2017, pp. 14–18. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.02.001.
Wallace IJ, Winchester JM, Su A, Boyer DM, Konow N. Physical activity alters limb bone structure but not entheseal morphology. Journal of human evolution. 2017 Jun;107:14–18.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of human evolution

DOI

EISSN

1095-8606

ISSN

0047-2484

Publication Date

June 2017

Volume

107

Start / End Page

14 / 18

Related Subject Headings

  • Running
  • Humans
  • Fossils
  • Femur
  • Female
  • Exercise
  • Diaphyses
  • Bone and Bones
  • Bone Density
  • Anthropology