Objective The biomechanical characteristics of proximal femoral trabeculae are closely related to the occurrence and treatment of proximal femoral fractures. Therefore, it is of great significance to study its biomechanical effects of cancellous bone in the proximal femur. This study examines the biomechanical effects of the cancellous bone in the proximal femur using a controlled variable method, which provide a foundation for further research into the mechanical properties of the proximal femur. Methods Seventeen proximal femoral specimens were selected to scan by quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and the gray values of nine regions were measure to evaluated bone mineral density (BMD) using Mimics software. Then, an intact femur was fixed simulating unilateral standing position. Vertical compression experiments were then performed again after removing cancellous bone in the femoral head, femoral neck, and intertrochanteric region, and data were recorded. According to the controlled variable method, the femoral head, femoral neck, and intertrochanteric trabeculae were sequentially removed based on the axial loading of the intact femur, and the displacement and strain changes of the femur samples under axial loading were recorded. Gom software was used to measure and record displacement and strain maps of the femoral surface. Results There was a statistically significant difference in anteroposterior displacement of cancellous bone destruction in the proximal femur (p