ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the factors involved in the functional adaption of intact bone and the relevance of these to mechanical modulation of bone repair. The sensitivity of the repair process to the overall mechanical conditions imposed by the fixation system used is described. In addition the further modulation of the process of indirect bone repair by ap plication of dynamic inter-fragmentary micro-movement. The putative common mechanotransduction pathways that may link functional adaptation in intact bone to the mechanical modulation of indirect bone repair and the relevance of these in optimisation of fracture heal ing are presented.
