Articular cartilage is a biphasic material composed of a solid matrix phase ( ~ 20 percent of the total tissue mass by weight) and an interstitial fluid phase (~ 80 percent). The intrinsic mechanical properties of each phase as well as the mechanical interaction between these two phases afford the tissue its interesting rheological behavior. In this investigation, the solid matrix was assumed to be intrinsically incompressible, linearly elastic and nondissipative while the interstitial fluid was assumed to be intrinsically incompressible and nondissipative. Further, it was assumed that the only dissipation comes from the frictional drag of relative motion between the phases. However, more general constitutive equations, including a viscoelastic dissipation of the solid matrix as well as a viscous dissipation of interstitial fluid were also developed. A constant "average" permeability of the tissue was assumed, i.e., independent of deformation, and a solid content function VJVj (the ratio of the volume of each of the phases) was assumed to vary with depth in accordance with the experimentally determined weight ratios. This linear, nonhomogeneous theory was applied to describe the experimentally obtained biphasic creep and biphasic stress relaxation data via a nonlinear regression technique. The determined intrinsic "aggregate" elastic modulus, from ten creep experiments, is 0.70 ± 0.09 MN/m 2 and, from six stress relaxation experiments, is 0.76 ± 0.03 MN/m 2 . The "average" permeability of the tissue is (0.76 ± 0.42) x 10~M m 4 /N's. We concluded that the large spread in the permeability coefficients is due to the assumption of a constant deformation independent permeability. We also concluded that 1) a nonlinearly permeable biphasic model, where the permeability function is given by an experimentally determined empirical law: k = A(p) exp [a(p)e], can be used to describe more accurately the rheological properties of articular cartilage, and 2) the frictional drag of relative motion is the most important factor governing the fluid/solid viscoelastic properties of the tissue in compression.

Positive effects on the tensile characteristics of swine digital extensors were found following twelve months of exercise training. Compared to sedentary controls, the tendons from the exercised animals became stronger as a material and exhibited hypertrophy. These biomechanical results were supported by biochemical analyses of tendon composition. Exercise increased the concentration of collagen as well as the total weights of the tendons. For determining stress and strain in tendon material, we used specially designed instruments to measure the tendon cross-sectional area, and a video dimensional analyzer system to measure accurately its "non-contact" tensile strain. With these newly developed apparatus, the mechanical properties of the tendons were accurately determined so that the effects of exercise training could be compared.

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A combined experimental and analytical approach was used to determine the history-dependent viscoelastic properties of normal articular cartilage in tension. Specimens along the surface split line direction, taken from the middle zone of articular cartilage were subjected to relaxation and cyclic tests. A quasi-linear viscoelastic theory proposed by Fung was used in combination with the experimental results to determine the nonlinear viscoelastic properties and the elastic stress-strain relationship of normal articular cartilage.

This review examines a number of theoretical constitutive equations which are applicable to the description of rheological behaviors of synovial fluids. These equations include the integral type, the rate type, the differential type and the generalized new-tonian fluid. Explicit values of the material parameters and/or material functions appearing in these equations are obtained from the many rheological measurements on synovial fluids of the literature. Many of the values of these parameters are taken from the literature, but some are newly computed values obtained by the present authors to make the list of available constitutive equations more extensive, using the existing experimental data. It is hoped that the diversity of the constitutive equations presented here and their appropriate material constants and/or functions will afford researchers in the field of synovial joint biomechanics the choice of a particular constitutive model for synovial fluid to meet their specific purpose.

The development of transient synovitis in the hips of young children occurs quite frequently. This experiment examined the effects of a model synovitis on the deformability of articular cartilage of the immature rabbit hip. At 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks following synovitis, there was an increase of cartilage deformability on both the acetabular and femoral sides of the joint. This increased deformability may alter force transmission to the underlying bone and its contained vascular structures.