A feasibility study for the use of a silastic gage as an in vivo muscle force transducer

This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing silastic gages for in vivo dynamic muscle force measurement. The gastrocnemius muscle of a fifty-one pound black short hair dog was selected for the test. The study shows that such measurements can be reliably performed in vivo for short durations without interfering with the natural movement of the animal. The durability of the gage appears to be primarily limited by the biological rejection process at the gage site.