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Yes. The available evidence suggests that water may prevent too much strain on the bones. A (2022) study has shown that a hydrated bone is ductile with high toughness and strength. When bone is dehydrated, bone becomes brittle with high stiffness and decreased toughness and strength. While a dehydrated brittle bone can have higher strength, the lack of water in bones reduces the plastic region and ductility in the tissue. In the plastic region, stress on the bones causes strain because the material changes shape at the molecular level. Due to this, the stress often reduces with time because of the changes at the molecular level.
According to the current knowledge of bone water, four water compartments contribute to the bone’s mechanical properties. The first one is Loosely Bound Water and an increase in it is responsible for increased toughness. The second is Tightly Bound Water and the increase in it is responsible for stiffness. Another compartment is Free Water and the increase in it is responsible for increased porosity to negatively impact strength and stiffness. The last one is Structural Water and its role in bone’s mechanical properties is not understood well.
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