ABSTRACT
In order to perform biomechanical computations, it is necessary to have some idea of the size of the structure that is to be analyzed. For example, if an engineer is asked to perform a calculation on the load on a beam, the material properties of the beam need to be known. These properties can be calculated, or more generally, are looked up in tables of the properties of the material, which is true because most structures have already been analyzed for their properties relative to their strength. Beams come in all shapes and sizes and are designed to carry a variety of loads. If a standard beam is not available, the engineer can design a particular beam to fit the application. In most instances, there is no need to reinvent the wheel by designing a particular beam, but rather applying a beam that will carry the specified loads, which may require utilizing a standard beam somewhat larger than necessary. To determine some basic dimensions for humans, we digress in order to study some characteristics of nature.
