Cyclic loading in knee ligament injuries

The effect of cyclic loading on knee ligaments was studied both in vivo and in vitro. The compliance of the medial collateral ligaments of athletes participating in hockey, basketball, soc cer, and downhill skiing was determined by using a specially built machine. Tests were conducted before and after partici pation in the various sports. Most subjects tested showed an increased compliance after their respective sporting activities. This observation was confirmed in the laboratory by imparting cyclic loading to 10 people under controlled conditions. The in vitro studies were conducted on the medial collateral ligaments of rats. These were tested to determine the effect of cyclic loading on the strength and stiffness of the ligaments. Results show a clear relationship between decreased stiffness or soften ing and a reduction in strength of the ligament. The amount of softening was related to the cyclic stress in the ligament.

[1]  A Viidik,et al.  Changes in tensile strength characteristics and histology of rabbit ligaments induced by different modes of postmortal storage. , 1966, Acta orthopaedica Scandinavica.

[2]  Muscular Strength and the Knee. , 1974, The Physician and sportsmedicine.

[3]  C. Tipton,et al.  The influence of physical activity on ligaments and tendons. , 1975, Medicine and science in sports.

[4]  G. Hirsch,et al.  Tensile properties during tendon healing. A comparative study of intact and sutured rabbit peroneus brevis tendons. , 1974, Acta orthopaedica Scandinavica. Supplementum.

[5]  G. Stull,et al.  Effects of exercise on knee ligament separation force in rats. , 1969, Journal of applied physiology.

[6]  H. Kraus.  Evaluation and treatment of muscle function in athletic injury. , 1959, American journal of surgery.

[7]  W. Pierson,et al.  Effect of exercise, immobilization and intermittent stretching on strength of knee ligaments of albino rats. , 1960, Journal of applied physiology.

[8]  N. Broom,et al.  The stress/strain and fatigue behaviour of glutaraldehyde preserved heart-valve tissue. , 1977, Journal of biomechanics.

[9]  A Viidik,et al.  Elasticity and tensile strength of the anterior cruciate ligament in rabbits as influenced by training. , 1968, Acta physiologica Scandinavica.

[10]  C. Tipton,et al.  Influence of exercise on strength of medial collateral knee ligaments of dogs. , 1970, The American journal of physiology.

[11]  F. G. Evans,et al.  Strength of human metatarsal bones under repetitive loading. , 1959, Journal of applied physiology.

[12]  R. W. Little,et al.  A constitutive equation for collagen fibers. , 1972, Journal of biomechanics.

[13]  W C Hayes,et al.  Compact bone fatigue damage--I. Residual strength and stiffness. , 1977, Journal of biomechanics.

[14]  A. Seireg,et al.  Behavior of in vivo bone under cyclic loading. , 1969, Journal of biomechanics.

[15]  R. Schneider,et al.  Insufficiency and stress fractures of the long bones occurring in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. , 1975, Radiology.

[16]  R. M. Ogorkiewicz.  Composite materials: testing and design: ASTM Special Technical Publication 460 American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia (1969) 582 pp, $3100 , 1971 .

[17]  J. Nicholas.  Injuries to knee ligaments. Relationship to looseness and tightness in football players. , 1970, JAMA.

[18]  B Weightman,et al.  A second study of tensile fatigue properties of human articular cartilage. , 1978, Annals of the rheumatic diseases.

[19]  C. Tipton,et al.  Influence of physical activity on the strength of knee ligaments in rats. , 1967, American Journal of Physiology.

[20]  Henry Eyring,et al.  The Mechanical Properties of Rat Tail Tendon , 1959, The Journal of general physiology.

[21]  D L Bartel,et al.  Surgical repositioning of the medial collateral ligament. An anatomical and mechanical analysis. , 1977, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume.

[22]  D H ELLIOTT,et al.  STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF MAMMALIAN TENDON , 1965, Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society.

[23]  R. J. Gray,et al.  Compressive fatique behaviour of bovine compact bone. , 1974, Journal of biomechanics.

[24]  R J Johnson,et al.  Knee injury in skiing , 1979, The American journal of sports medicine.

[25]  Laban Mm.  Collagen tissue: implications of its response to stress in vitro. , 1962 .

[26]  I. Paul,et al.  Response of joints to impact loading. 3. Relationship between trabecular microfractures and cartilage degeneration. , 1973, Journal of biomechanics.

[27]  M. Stearns.  Studies on the development of connective tissue in transparent chambers in the rabbit's ear. II† , 1940 .

[28]  F. G. Evans,et al.  Strength of human compact bone under repetitive loading. , 1957, Journal of applied physiology.

[29]  R. D. Harkness.  BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF COLLAGEN , 1961, Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society.

[30]  C. Tipton,et al.  Influence of physical activity on ligament insertions in the knees of dogs. , 1971, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume.

[31]  M Abrahams,et al.  Mechanical behaviour of tendon in vitro. A preliminary report. , 1967, Medical & biological engineering.

[32]  R. Johnson,et al.  Mechanisms of the Most Common Ski Injuries. , 1977, The Physician and sportsmedicine.

[33]  Bela Imre Sandor,et al.  Fundamentals of cyclic stress and strain , 1972 .