[Behavior of human rib and patella cartilage].

Report is based on compression- and relaxation experiments with 90 rib- and 30 patella cartilage samples of different aged human bodies to evaluate the elastic and viscoelastic response. The results indicate biomechanical similarities and differences between patella-and rib cartilage as well as in the several age groups. In all age group we could obtain that rib cartilage is "stiffer" than patella cartilage and a loosening in capacity of tensional reduction with increasing age.