Forces in Animal Joints

Abstract

Estimates have been made of the forces which act in major joints of various arthropods and vertebrates, in strenuous activities. Over the range of size from fleas to dinosaurs, joint forces tend to be roughly proportional to (body mass)-1/3. The maximum stresses which occur in joints are probably of the same order of magnitude in mammals of all sizes and also in insects of all sizes, but the stresses in insects are probably larger than the stresses in mammals and other vertebrates.