Determine the vertical ground reaction forces and knee mechanics with different gait inclinations in the sheep model.

Our current understanding of knee mechanics and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) function is predominately based on data recorded during simulations of clinical examinations or the application of nonphysiologic loads and motions. These methodologies provide little information on knee and ACL mechanics during activities of daily living (ADLs). Additionally, researchers have not directly measured knee kinetics, knee contact pressures, and ACL forces, and it is unknown how these parameters change with different activities.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk in Sport: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Injury Incidence by Sex and Sport Classification.

Objective: To evaluate sex differences in incidence rates (IRs) of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury by sport type (collision, contact, limited contact, and noncontact).

Data Sources: A systematic review was performed using the electronic databases PubMed (1969-January 20, 2017) and EBSCOhost (CINAHL, SPORTDiscus; 1969-January 20, 2017) and the search terms AND AND ( OR OR ).

Study Selection: Studies were included if they provided the number of ACL injuries and the number of athlete-exposures (AEs) by sex or enough information to allow the number of ACL injuries by sex to be calculated.

Primary and secondary restraints of human and ovine knees for simulated in vivo gait kinematics.

Knee soft tissue structures are frequently injured, leading to the development of osteoarthritis even with treatment. Understanding how these structures contribute to knee function during activities of daily living (ADLs) is crucial in creating more effective treatments. This study was designed to determine the role of different knee structures during a simulated ADL in both human knees and ovine stifle joints.

The role of mechanical loading in tendon development, maintenance, injury, and repair.

Tendon injuries often result from excessive or insufficient mechanical loading, impairing the ability of the local tendon cell population to maintain normal tendon function. The resident cell population composing tendon tissue is mechanosensitive, given that the cells are able to alter the extracellular matrix in response to modifications of the local loading environment. Natural tendon healing is insufficient, characterized by improper collagen fibril diameter formation, collagen fibril distribution, and overall fibril misalignment.

The native cell population does not contribute to central-third graft healing at 6, 12, or 26 weeks in the rabbit patellar tendon.

Investigators do not yet understand the role of intrinsic tendon cells in healing at the tendon-to-bone enthesis. Therefore, our first objective was to understand how the native cell population influences tendon autograft incorporation in the central-third patellar tendon (PT) defect site. To do this, we contrasted the histochemical and biomechanical properties of de-cellularized patellar tendon autograft (dcPTA) and patellar tendon autograft (PTA) repairs in the skeletally mature New Zealand white rabbit.

Effect of implanting a soft tissue autograft in a central-third patellar tendon defect: biomechanical and histological comparisons.

Previous studies by our laboratory have demonstrated that implanting a stiffer tissue engineered construct at surgery is positively correlated with repair tissue stiffness at 12 weeks. The objective of this study was to test this correlation by implanting a construct that matches normal tissue biomechanical properties. To do this, we utilized a soft tissue patellar tendon autograft to repair a central-third patellar tendon defect.

Technical aspects of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction for the general orthopaedic surgeon.

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is the sixth most common procedure performed by orthopaedic surgeons. The goals of the procedure are to restore knee stability and patient function. These goals are dependent on proper graft positioning and incorporation.

Partial triceps disruption: a case report.

Partial triceps tendon disruptions are a rare injury that can lead to debilitating outcomes if misdiagnosed or managed inappropriately. The clinician should have a high index of suspicion when the mechanism involves a fall onto an outstretched arm and there is resultant elbow extension weakness along with pain and swelling. The most common location of rupture is at the tendon-osseous junction.

Effect of surgery to implant motion and force sensors on vertical ground reaction forces in the ovine model.

Activities of daily living (ADLs) generate complex, multidirectional forces in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). While calibration problems preclude direct measurement in patients, ACL forces can conceivably be measured in animals after technical challenges are overcome. For example, motion and force sensors can be implanted in the animal but investigators must determine the extent to which these sensors and surgery affect normal gait.

The use of mesenchymal stem cells in collagen-based scaffolds for tissue-engineered repair of tendons.

Tendon and ligament injuries are significant contributors to musculoskeletal injuries. Unfortunately, traditional methods of repair are not uniformly successful and can require revision surgery. Our research is focused on identifying appropriate animal injury models and using tissue-engineered constructs (TECs) from bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells and collagen scaffolds.

Combined effects of scaffold stiffening and mechanical preconditioning cycles on construct biomechanics, gene expression, and tendon repair biomechanics.

Our group has previously reported that in vitro mechanical stimulation of tissue-engineered tendon constructs significantly increases both construct stiffness and the biomechanical properties of the repair tissue after surgery. When optimized using response surface methodology, our results indicate that a mechanical stimulus with three components (2.4% strain, 3000 cycles/day, and one cycle repetition) produced the highest in vitro linear stiffness.

Mechanical stimulation of tendon tissue engineered constructs: effects on construct stiffness, repair biomechanics, and their correlation.

The objective of this study was to determine how in vitro mechanical stimulation of tissue engineered constructs affects their stiffness and modulus in culture and tendon repair biomechanics 12 weeks after surgical implantation. Using six female adult New Zealand White rabbits, autogenous tissue engineered constructs were created by seeding mesenchymal stem cells (0.1 x 10(6) cells/ml) in collagen gel (2.

Functional tissue engineering for tendon repair: A multidisciplinary strategy using mesenchymal stem cells, bioscaffolds, and mechanical stimulation.

Over the past 8 years, our group has been continuously improving tendon repair using a functional tissue engineering (FTE) paradigm. This paradigm was motivated by inconsistent clinical results after tendon repair and reconstruction, and the modest biomechanical improvements we observed after repair of rabbit central patellar tendon defects using mesenchymal stem cell-gel-suture constructs. Although possessing a significantly higher stiffness and failure force than for natural healing, these first generation constructs were quite weak compared to normal tendon.

Effects of mechanical stimulation on the biomechanics and histology of stem cell-collagen sponge constructs for rabbit patellar tendon repair.

The objective of this study was to determine how mechanical stimulation affects the biomechanics and histology of stem cell-collagen sponge constructs used to repair central rabbit patellar tendon defects. Autogenous tissue-engineered constructs were created for both in vitro and in vivo analyses by seeding mesenchymal stem cells from 10 adult rabbits at 0.14x10(6) cells/construct in type I collagen sponges.

Effects of cell-to-collagen ratio in stem cell-seeded constructs for Achilles tendon repair.

The objective of the present study was to test the hypotheses that implantation of cell-seeded constructs in a rabbit Achilles tendon defect model would 1) improve repair biomechanics and matrix organization and 2) result in higher failure forces than measured in vivo forces in normal rabbit Achilles tendon (AT) during an inclined hopping activity. Autogenous tissue-engineered constructs were fabricated in culture between posts in the wells of silicone dishes at four cell-to-collagen ratios by seeding mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) from 18 adult rabbits at each of two seeding densities (0.1 x 10(6) and 1 x 10(6) cell/mL) in each of two collagen concentrations (1.

The effect of autologous mesenchymal stem cells on the biomechanics and histology of gel-collagen sponge constructs used for rabbit patellar tendon repair.

The objective of this study was to introduce mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into a gel-sponge composite and examine the effect the cells have on repair biomechanics and histology 12 weeks postsurgery. We tested two related hypotheses-adding MSCs would significantly improve repair biomechanics and cellular organization, and would result in higher failure forces than peak in vivo patellar tendon (PT) forces recorded for an inclined hopping activity. Autogenous tissue-engineered constructs were created by seeding MSCs from 15 adult rabbits at 0.

Effects of cell-to-collagen ratio in mesenchymal stem cell-seeded implants on tendon repair biomechanics and histology.

Autogenous tissue-engineered constructs were fabricated at four cell-to-collagen ratios (0.08, 0.04, 0.

Characterization of in vivo Achilles tendon forces in rabbits during treadmill locomotion at varying speeds and inclinations.

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that increasing the speed and inclination of the treadmill increases the peak Achilles tendon forces and their rates of rise and fall in force. Implantable force transducers (IFT) were inserted in the confluence of the medial and lateral heads of the left gastrocnemius tendon in 11 rabbits. IFT voltages were successfully recorded in 8 animals as the animals hopped on a treadmill at each of two speeds (0.

In vivo forces used to develop design parameters for tissue engineered implants for rabbit patellar tendon repair.

Previous studies in tissue engineering have shown that suspending undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cells in collagen gels and wrapping them about a suture causes alignment of cells and contraction of constructs in culture in a form that is suitable for implantation for tendon repair. Little is known about the patterns of these in vivo signals that might improve tendon repair biomechanics. Three hypotheses were tested in this study using the rabbit patellar tendon (PT) model: (1) peak in vivo forces and the rates of rise and fall in these forces will increase significantly with increasing levels of activity; (2) the PTs safety factor for all activities will be in the range of values found for tendons (2.

Neuromuscular function in athletes following recovery from a recent acute low back injury.

Study Design: Observational case control design.

Objectives: To examine muscle response to sudden trunk loading in athletes with and without a recent history of acute low back injury (LBI).

Background: Impaired neuromuscular function is associated with chronic low back pain.

Grade 2C signal in the meniscus [correction of mensicus] on MR imaging of the knee.

Objective: The objective of our study was to evaluate the clinical significance of grade 2C meniscal [corrected] signal (an extensive triangular or wedge-shaped signal that does not reach the surface on more than one image) on MR imaging of the knee.

Materials And Methods: Review of 1106 MR imaging reports over 2 years revealed 88 patients with menisci described as containing triangular, wedge-shaped, extensive, or grade 2C signal. Image review by consensus of two radiologists found 34 menisci in 29 patients that fit criteria for grade 2C signal.

Effect of aging on male and female master athletes' performance in strength versus endurance activities.

Aging has traditionally been associated with several functional declines within the musculoskeletal system. In this study, we characterized and compared age-related changes in performance in power and endurance activities (ie, power-lifting, stationary rowing). From age 25 to age 85, men's and women's rowing performance decreases 29%; from age 25 to age 55, men's rowing performance decreases 0.