Loading tissue at 0.25 MPa, shown in panel A, or 1.0 MPa, shown in panel B, for 5400 cycles at 0.5 Hz induces maximum tissue strains ranging from 15% to 23% and 43% to 56%, respectively, in both single day and seven day loading specimens. Strain occurring over a single cycle during 0.25 MPa loading did not exceed 7% of the original thickness while these strains in 1.0 MPa loaded tissue did not exceed 12%. This mechanical behavior of both 0.25 and 1.0 MPa loaded explants was not significantly altered by the seventh day of loading, shown in grey, relative to single day loading, shown in black. This suggests that the loading procedure utilized did not overtly alter the mechanical properties of the bovine cartilage.