The primary functions of bone are to do with support and protection – mechanical functions. The aim of this chapter is to set out some of the methods that can be used to measure these properties in cortical and cancelleous bone from large (e.g. human or bovine) and small (e.g. mouse) animals. The difference between properties of the sample (intrinsic properties) and properties of the material (extrinsic properties) is introduced and techniques for measuring them suggested. The addition of other tests to give a complete characterisation of a bone sample is presented.
