Are these &quot;clogs&quot; made for walking?-Osteochondritis Dissecans:evidence of strenuous activity and trauma on skeletal elements of the foot from a post-medieval rural society in the Netherlands

Osteochondritis Dissecans (OD) describes a pathological condition of the subchondral bone and surrounding cartilage of synovial joints, such as the knee, elbow and ankle. Clinical research has associated OD to vigorous and strenuous activity, as well as trauma, micro or repetitive, due to its high occurrence in athletes. Reports of OD in archaeological skeletal remains are few and the majority involves a small number of individuals. Most studies of archaeological populations have found low OD prevalence, usually under one percent. In contrast, analysis of the Middenbeemster skeletal sample from the Netherlands found that 14 out of 93 adult individuals (15.1%), including males and females from different age categories, had OD in either one or multiple joints. This high percentage, combined with the fact that Middenbeemster derives from a rural agricultural population, is strong support for the impact of physical activity on bone. Furthermore, people in an agricultural society, that...Show moreOsteochondritis Dissecans (OD) describes a pathological condition of the subchondral bone and surrounding cartilage of synovial joints, such as the knee, elbow and ankle. Clinical research has associated OD to vigorous and strenuous activity, as well as trauma, micro or repetitive, due to its high occurrence in athletes. Reports of OD in archaeological skeletal remains are few and the majority involves a small number of individuals. Most studies of archaeological populations have found low OD prevalence, usually under one percent. In contrast, analysis of the Middenbeemster skeletal sample from the Netherlands found that 14 out of 93 adult individuals (15.1%), including males and females from different age categories, had OD in either one or multiple joints. This high percentage, combined with the fact that Middenbeemster derives from a rural agricultural population, is strong support for the impact of physical activity on bone. Furthermore, people in an agricultural society, that combines extensive outdoor activity on an uneven surface, are more susceptible to trauma. Finally, the klompen, one of Netherlands’ current national emblems, were commonly worn not only in the Netherlands but in other regions of Northern Europe as well. It is suggested that their hard and inflexible surface, apart from limiting the natural freedom of movement of the foot, could also impact the tarsals and metatarsals, in case of trauma. Repetition of trauma could result in injury to the bone and eventually the cartilage. All these factors combined could result in the high frequency of OD observed in the Middenbeemster sample. Therefore, it is proposed that OD is a useful marker to aid in reconstructing previous life practices and subsequently better classification criteria should be developed.Show less

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Are these "clogs" made for walking?-Osteochondritis Dissecans:evidence of strenuous activity and trauma on skeletal elements of the foot from a post-medieval rural society in the Netherlands