Effects of tendon grip technique (frozen versus unfrozen) on in vitro surface strain measurements of the equine deep digital flexor tendon.
Abstract: To determine effects of tendon grip technique on in vitro surface strain measurements of equine deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) when loaded in tension. Methods: 12 hind limb DDFT from 8 adult horses (mean age, 9.8 years [range, 4.5 to 17 years]; mean body weight, 472 kg [range, 450 to 509 kg]), with no clinical evidence of hind limb lameness. Methods: After calibration, liquid mercury strain gauges were sutured to plantar surfaces of the tendons at distal (position 1), middle (position 2), and proximal (position 3) metatarsal regions. Each tendon was affixed to a materials testing machine (distally by the distal phalanx, and proximally by a metal clamp), and loaded once in tension, at a strain rate of 2.8 to 3.0%/s, to 3% clamp displacement. Liquid nitrogen was used to freeze the proximal ends of 6 tendons before placement in the clamp. Proximal ends of the remaining 6 tendons were left unfrozen. Surface strains were determined with the aid of low-resistance bridge circuits. Data were analyzed at time points corresponding to 1, 2, and 3% clamp displacement. Results: Mean surface strains of tendons with frozen ends were significantly greater than those for tendons with unfrozen ends, and closer to strain measured by clamp displacement, at 1 and 2% clamp displacement. This difference was present but not significant at 3% clamp displacement. Mean local surface strain was not significantly different between the 3 gauge positions. Conclusions: Freezing tendon ends is a useful technique to increase measured surface strains in equine DDFT, thereby making them closer to universal strain as measured by clamp displacement, and, thus, more likely to represent true surface strain.
Publication Date: 1996-01-01 PubMed ID: 8720248
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research studied the effects of two different techniques for gripping tendons during experiment — having the ends frozen or not — on the recorded surface strain measurements in horse muscles. The findings suggested that freezing the tendon ends before clamping them leads to higher measured surface strains, making these measurements closer to the true strain on the muscles.
Methodology
- The researchers for this study selected 12 hind limb deep digital flexor tendons (DDFT) from 8 adult horses with an average age of 9.8 years. Their mean body weight was roughly 472 kg. None of these horses showed any clinical signs of hind limb lameness.
- The tendons were then fitted with liquid mercury strain gauges that had undergone calibration. These gauges allowed the researchers to measure the strain at different parts of the tendons, specifically their distal, middle, and proximal sections.
- The tendons were loaded on a materials testing machine in a specific way. The distal end was attached via the distal phalanx, while the proximal end was secured by a metal clamp.
- A key aspect of their experimental design was that half the tendons had their proximal ends frozen using liquid nitrogen before being placed in the clamp. The remaining tendons were left untreated, so they may serve as a comparison group.
Results
- The tendons were loaded in tension once at a strain rate of 2.8 to 3.0%/s to a 3% clamp displacement. The researchers closely monitored surface strains with the use of low-resistance bridge circuits, and quantitatively analyzed the data at 1%, 2%, and 3% clamp displacement.
- Comparisons revealed that the tendons with frozen ends recorded higher average surface strain than their unfrozen counterparts. This disparity, however, became less significant at the 3% clamp displacement.
- Local surface strain was not significantly different across the three gauge positions.
Conclusions
- From the data, it’s clear that freezing the tendon ends beforehand does increase the measured surface strains in horse DDFT. The fact that these readings are closer to the strain measured by clamp displacement suggests that they are in fact more representative of the true surface strain.
- This technique might be useful in future studies or medical procedures that require a more accurate measurement of surface muscle strain.
Cite This Article
APA
Matthews GL, Keegan KG, Graham HL.
(1996).
Effects of tendon grip technique (frozen versus unfrozen) on in vitro surface strain measurements of the equine deep digital flexor tendon.
Am J Vet Res, 57(1), 111-115.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia 65211, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Body Weight
- Freezing
- Hindlimb
- Horses / physiology
- Stress, Mechanical
- Surface Properties
- Tendons / physiology
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Scholze M, Singh A, Lozano PF, Ondruschka B, Ramezani M, Werner M, Hammer N. Utilization of 3D printing technology to facilitate and standardize soft tissue testing. Sci Rep 2018 Jul 27;8(1):11340.
- Lake SP, Snedeker JG, Wang VM, Awad H, Screen HRC, Thomopoulos S. Guidelines for ex vivo mechanical testing of tendon. J Orthop Res 2023 Oct;41(10):2105-2113.
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