Abstract
Bone functions as the main load-bearing component of the musculoskeletal system, making it a classic subject for the study of biomechanics. Bone has a hierarchical structure and all levels play a role in its overall behavior and function. There are multiple factors that affect bone’s mechanical behavior, such as tissue material properties and bone geometry and structure. These factors, which undergo numerous changes with age, contribute to whole bone’s structural behavior. This chapter provides a review of classic bone biomechanics, the role of bone’s structure and composition on its mechanical properties, the mechanical behavior of whole bone, and age-related changes in bone that contribute to fracture.