Yin, N-H;
Fromme, P;
McCarthy, I;
Birch, HL;
(2021)
Individual variation in Achilles tendon morphology and geometry changes susceptibility to injury.
eLife
, 10
, Article e63204. 10.7554/eLife.63204.
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Abstract
The unique structure of the Achilles tendon, combining three smaller sub-tendons, enhances movement efficiency by allowing individual control from connected muscles. This requires compliant interfaces between sub-tendons, but compliance decreases with age and may account for increased injury frequency. Current understanding of sub-tendon sliding and its role in the whole Achilles tendon function is limited. Here we show changing the degree of sliding greatly affects the tendon mechanical behaviour. Our in vitro testing discovered distinct sub-tendon mechanical properties in keeping with their mechanical demands. In silico study based on measured properties, subject-specific tendon geometry, and modified sliding capacity demonstrated age-related displacement reduction similar to our in vivo ultrasonography measurements. Peak stress magnitude and distribution within the whole Achilles tendon are affected by individual tendon geometries, the sliding capacity between sub-tendons, and different muscle loading conditions. These results suggest clinical possibilities to identify patients at risk and design personalised rehabilitation protocols.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Individual variation in Achilles tendon morphology and geometry changes susceptibility to injury |
| Location: | England |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.7554/eLife.63204 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.63204 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Keywords: | Achilles tendon, computational biology, human, injury, mechanical property, medicine, systems biology |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Surgery and Interventional Sci UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Surgery and Interventional Sci > Department of Ortho and MSK Science UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Civil, Environ and Geomatic Eng UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Mechanical Engineering |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10122467 |
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