Clinical Indicators for Tendon Injuries
| Principal investigator(s): | Guy Trudel
(University of Ottawa) |
| Co-investigator(s): | Hans Uhthoff, Martin Lecompte; David Backman
(National Research Centre) |
| Sponsoring Institution: | University of Ottawa |
Objective
The objective of this study was to validate the mechanical properties of tendons against clinical indicators and guide return to work after a tendon injury.
Method
In a first series of experiments, the researchers immobilized ten rabbit legs for 4 weeks and ten for 8 weeks. In a second series, the researchers created a partial tendon tear in 20 rabbits’ legs. Ten each were harvested after 4 and 8 weeks. In a third series, the researchers harvested 100 human cadaver Achilles tendons and perfected double cryofixation for mechanically testing tendons in isolation. Tendons were also scanned with ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and calcanei X-rayed for bone mineral density (BMD).
Results
The procedures showed a weakening of tendons after immobility or partial tear. The data showed that neither MRI nor US changes correlated with the mechanical parameters, but that BMD, a relatively common and inexpensive test, did.
Conclusions
The dual cryofixation technique perfected by the research team will advance the study of tendon pathologies, a pre-requisite to the rehabilitation of work-related tendon injuries. In addition, BMD may be the best predictor of the readiness of tendons to resume work after injury. Clinicians can now benefit from evidence on which to investigate and manage the rehabilitation of workers after a tendon injury.
Publications
Trudel, G., Koike, Y., Dinh, L., Uhthoff, H.K. (2005). "Thawing of Frozen Calcaneus Bone Specimens Has No Effect on the Bone Mineral Density using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry: A Study in Rabbits and Humans." Physiological Measurement 26:769-777.
Ramachandran, N., Koike, Y., Poitras, P., Backman, D., Uhthoff, H.K., Trudel, G. (2005). "Dual Cryofixation for Mechanical Testing of Musculoskeletal Tissues." IEEE Transactions in Biomedical Engineering 52:1792-5.
Doherty, G., Koike, Y., Uhthoff, H.K., Lecompte, M., Trudel, G. (2006). "Comparative Anatomy of Rabbit and Human Achilles Tendons with Magnetic Resonance and Ultrasound Imaging." Comparative Medicine 56:66-72.
For more information: gtrudel@ottawahospital.on.ca
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