Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Treatment of Ligament Constructs with Exercise-conditioned Serum: A Translational Tissue Engineering Model

Treatment of Ligament Constructs with Exercise-conditioned Serum: A Translational Tissue Engineering Model

Published on: June 11, 2017

Quantifying ligament cross-sectional area via molding and casting.

Kelly H Schmidt¹, William R Ledoux

¹RR&D Center of Excellence for Limb Loss Prevention and Prosthetic Engineering, VA Puget Sound Heath Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USA.

Journal of Biomechanical Engineering

|September 7, 2010

Summary

Accurately measuring ligament cross-sectional area is challenging. This study introduces a novel molding and casting technique that precisely captures ligament shapes, overcoming limitations of previous methods for foot and ankle anatomy.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Durability and offloading performance of 3D-printed multilayer lattice for accommodative insoles.

Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials·2026

Same author

In Vivo Assessment of Distal Femur Fracture Motion via Weightbearing CT.

Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society·2026

Same author

Effects of First Metatarsophalangeal Osteoarthritis on Plantar Pressures Across Multiple Activities.

Journal of foot and ankle research·2026

Same author

Characterization of the Ideal Speed of Sound for Plantar Soft Tissue Using Quasi-Simultaneous Ultrasound and Computed Tomography in Cadaveric Feet.

Annals of biomedical engineering·2026

Same author

Quantifying differences in high-pressure region mapping between dynamic in-shoe and barefoot plantar pressure in diabetic subjects.

Journal of biomechanics·2026

Same author

Pathways of load transfer in custom accommodative insoles for people with diabetes.

Clinical biomechanics (Bristol, Avon)·2025

Area of Science:

Biomechanics
Anatomical Measurement
Materials Science

Background:

Accurate ligament cross-sectional area (CSA) measurement is crucial for determining material properties in mechanical testing.
Existing techniques for CSA measurement are limited by tissue deformation, destruction, saline submersion, and inability to capture complex shapes or concavities.
Previous molding techniques suffered from shrinkage, poor detail capture, or mold destruction for specimen removal.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and validate a novel molding and casting technique for accurate measurement of ligament cross-sectional areas.
To overcome limitations of existing methods, particularly for foot and ankle ligaments with complex anatomy and small bone clearances.
To assess the impact of mold manipulation (cutting) and saline presence on measurement accuracy.

More Related Videos

Athymic Rat Model for Evaluation of Engineered Anterior Cruciate Ligament Grafts

Athymic Rat Model for Evaluation of Engineered Anterior Cruciate Ligament Grafts

Published on: March 26, 2015

Synthetic, Multi-Layer, Self-Oscillating Vocal Fold Model Fabrication

Synthetic, Multi-Layer, Self-Oscillating Vocal Fold Model Fabrication

Published on: December 2, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Treatment of Ligament Constructs with Exercise-conditioned Serum: A Translational Tissue Engineering Model

Treatment of Ligament Constructs with Exercise-conditioned Serum: A Translational Tissue Engineering Model

Published on: June 11, 2017

Athymic Rat Model for Evaluation of Engineered Anterior Cruciate Ligament Grafts

Athymic Rat Model for Evaluation of Engineered Anterior Cruciate Ligament Grafts

Published on: March 26, 2015

Synthetic, Multi-Layer, Self-Oscillating Vocal Fold Model Fabrication

Synthetic, Multi-Layer, Self-Oscillating Vocal Fold Model Fabrication

Published on: December 2, 2011

Main Methods:

A liquid silicone rubber molding and polyurethane casting technique was developed, designed to minimize systematic shrinkage.
Metal rods of known diameters were molded and cast to validate the technique's accuracy.
The effect of cutting the mold for specimen removal and the presence of saline were investigated.
Image analysis software was used to determine cross-sectional areas from photographs of castings.
The method was applied to four different types of dissected foot and ankle ligaments (n=5 each).

Main Results:

The developed technique accurately captured the shapes and concavities of ligaments without significant shrinkage.
Validation with metal rods showed a maximum difference in area of 2.00% (overall RMSE 0.97%).
Neither cutting the mold nor the presence of saline affected the measured cross-sectional area of the castings.
Representative foot and ankle ligaments were successfully molded and cast, capturing fine details including concavities.

Conclusions:

A reliable and accurate molding and casting method for measuring ligament cross-sectional area has been established.
This technique overcomes the limitations of previous methods, providing precise measurements for complex anatomical structures like foot and ankle ligaments.
The method is validated and suitable for applications requiring accurate ligament CSA data, aiding in biomechanical analysis.