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Adjacent tissues modulate shear wave propagation in axially loaded tendons
Jonathon L Blank1, Darryl G Thelen2
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials
|October 2, 2023
Summary
Shear wave tensiometry measures tendon load using shear wave speed. Adjacent fat tissue lowers measured wave speeds by adding inertia, a factor crucial for accurate tendon load assessment in clinical and research settings.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Musculoskeletal Research
Background:
- Shear wave tensiometry noninvasively measures tendon load via shear wave speed.
- In vivo measurements show lower wave speeds than predicted by isolated tendon models.
- Added inertia from surrounding tissues is a potential cause for this discrepancy.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the impact of adjacent subcutaneous fat on shear wave propagation in loaded tendons.
- Determine how surrounding tissues affect shear wave speed measurements used for tendon load estimation.
Main Methods:
- Developed a dynamic finite element model of a tendon surrounded by fat tissue.
- Simulated transient shear wave generation and propagation through the layered model.
- Analyzed wave speed using dispersion analysis and time-to-peak measures.
Main Results:
- Simulated shear wave speeds in tendon and fat were similar and varied with tendon load.
- Layered models exhibited lower wave speeds compared to isolated tendon models.
- Adjacent tissues were found to add inertia, reducing overall shear wave speed.
Conclusions:
- Externally excited shear waves are detectable in subcutaneous fat and reflect underlying tendon loading.
- Inertia from adjacent tissues significantly influences shear wave speed measurements.
- Accurate tendon load inference using tensiometry requires accounting for the effects of surrounding tissues.
Keywords:
Finite element modelMulti-layered modelShear wave dispersionShear wave propagationSubcutaneous fatTendonMore Related Videos
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