Relationships between anterior cruciate ligament elastic and viscoelastic properties and cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritic human knee joints

IF 2.4 3区医学 Q3 BIOPHYSICS

Journal of biomechanics Pub Date : 2025-08-25 DOI:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112929

Aapo Ristaniemi , Mikko A.J. Finnilä , Heikki Kröger , Rami K. Korhonen

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Knee joint osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by alterations in articular cartilage and subchondral bone, but concurrent biomechanical changes in the bundles of human anterior cruciate ligament are poorly known. This study aimed at characterizing the anteromedial (AM) and posterolateral (PL) bundles’ elastic and viscoelastic properties and relate them to knee joint OA.

Small dogbone-shaped samples were cut from mid-substance of AM and PL bundles of human knees (n = 18 knees, N = 9 cadavers) and subjected to tensile sinusoidal and multi-step stress-relaxation testing. Phase difference and dynamic modulus were analyzed from the sinusoidal test, and equilibrium Young’s modulus, peak-to-equilibrium stress ratio and fast and slow relaxation amplitudes and times were calculated to describe the elastic and viscoelastic properties. Cartilage degeneration was defined at eight sites in the knee joint by OARSI grading in our earlier study, and relationships between biomechanical properties and OARSI grades were investigated with Spearman’s rank correlation.

In the AM bundle, peak-to-equilibrium ratio increased (ρ = 0.525, p = 0.025), fast relaxation time decreased (ρ = -0.487, p = 0.040), and dynamic modulus decreased (ρ ≤ -0.501, p ≤ 0.034), with increasing OARSI grade of anterior medial femur. In both bundles, the phase difference increased (ρ ≥ 0.481, p ≤ 0.043) with OARSI grade of anterior medial femur.

The AM and PL bundles become more viscous (i.e. resist better rapid loads) with anterior medial femoral cartilage degeneration, while also the material stiffness of the AM bundle decreased (i.e. restricts anterior tibial translation more compliantly). It could be that cartilage degeneration leads to chronic underloading with intermittent rapid straining of the ACL, causing the observed adaptive response.

查看原文本刊更多论文

骨关节炎患者膝关节前交叉韧带弹性和粘弹性与软骨退变的关系

膝关节骨性关节炎（OA）以关节软骨和软骨下骨的改变为特征，但人类前交叉韧带束的生物力学变化却鲜为人知。本研究旨在表征前内侧束（AM）和后外侧束（PL）的弹性和粘弹性特性，并将它们与膝关节OA联系起来。从人体膝关节（n = 18个膝关节，n = 9具尸体）的AM束和PL束的中间物质中切割出小的犬骨状样品，进行拉伸正弦和多步骤应力松弛测试。通过正弦试验分析相位差和动模量，计算平衡杨氏模量、峰值-平衡应力比、快慢弛豫幅值和时间，描述弹性和粘弹性特性。在我们早期的研究中，通过OARSI分级在膝关节的八个部位定义了软骨退变，并使用Spearman秩相关研究了生物力学性能与OARSI分级之间的关系。在AM束中，随着股骨前内侧OARSI等级的增加，峰平衡比增加（ρ = 0.525, p = 0.025），快速松弛时间减少（ρ = -0.487, p = 0.040），动力模量降低（ρ≤-0.501,p≤0.034）。两束间相位差随股骨前内侧OARSI分级而增大（ρ≥0.481,p≤0.043）。AM和PL束随着股骨前内侧软骨退变变得更粘稠（即抵抗更好的快速载荷），同时AM束的材料刚度也降低（即更顺从地限制胫骨前平移）。这可能是软骨退变导致慢性负荷下间歇性快速拉伤前交叉韧带，引起观察到的适应性反应。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of biomechanics 生物-工程：生物医学

CiteScore

5.10

自引率

4.20%

发文量

345

审稿时长

1 months

期刊介绍： The Journal of Biomechanics publishes reports of original and substantial findings using the principles of mechanics to explore biological problems. Analytical, as well as experimental papers may be submitted, and the journal accepts original articles, surveys and perspective articles (usually by Editorial invitation only), book reviews and letters to the Editor. The criteria for acceptance of manuscripts include excellence, novelty, significance, clarity, conciseness and interest to the readership. Papers published in the journal may cover a wide range of topics in biomechanics, including, but not limited to: -Fundamental Topics - Biomechanics of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems, mechanics of hard and soft tissues, biofluid mechanics, mechanics of prostheses and implant-tissue interfaces, mechanics of cells. -Cardiovascular and Respiratory Biomechanics - Mechanics of blood-flow, air-flow, mechanics of the soft tissues, flow-tissue or flow-prosthesis interactions. -Cell Biomechanics - Biomechanic analyses of cells, membranes and sub-cellular structures; the relationship of the mechanical environment to cell and tissue response. -Dental Biomechanics - Design and analysis of dental tissues and prostheses, mechanics of chewing. -Functional Tissue Engineering - The role of biomechanical factors in engineered tissue replacements and regenerative medicine. -Injury Biomechanics - Mechanics of impact and trauma, dynamics of man-machine interaction. -Molecular Biomechanics - Mechanical analyses of biomolecules. -Orthopedic Biomechanics - Mechanics of fracture and fracture fixation, mechanics of implants and implant fixation, mechanics of bones and joints, wear of natural and artificial joints. -Rehabilitation Biomechanics - Analyses of gait, mechanics of prosthetics and orthotics. -Sports Biomechanics - Mechanical analyses of sports performance.