Mechanical properties of various mammalian tendons

Bennett, Michael B.; Ker, R. F.; Imery, Nicola J.; Alexander, R. McNeill

doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1986.tb03609.x

Cited by 340 publications

(256 citation statements)

References 19 publications

(17 reference statements)

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“…The problem with studying excised tendons is the difficulty attaching a cut tendon to a puller and knowing what part of the tendon is held firm and what part is allowed to stretch. In a careful study by Bennett et al (2), attempts were made to determine whether the stress-strain relationship is constant for tendons of different mammalian species. They concluded that the difference between species was small compared with the error of measurement.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonlinear summation of force in cat soleus muscle results primarily from stretch of the common-elastic elements

Sandercock

2000

Journal of Applied Physiology

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The complex connective tissue structure of muscle and tendon suggests that forces from two parts of a muscle may not summate linearly. This study measured the nonlinear summation of force (Fnl) in whole cat soleus during isometric and ramp movements. In six anesthetized cats, the soleus was attached to a servomechanism to control muscle length and record force. The ventral roots were divided into two bundles, each innervating about half the soleus; thus the two parts could be stimulated alone or together. In all experiments, Fnl was small (<6% of maximum tetanic tension). Peak Fnl occurred during changes in muscle force, either as a result of imposed muscle movement or the onset or offset of a stimulus train. The data were fit to a model in which both parts of the muscle were assumed to stretch to a common elasticity. The servomechanism was programmed to compensate for reduced stretch of the common elasticity during partial compared with whole muscle activation. These compensatory movements showed how the model could account for most, but not all, of Fnl.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonlinear summation of force in cat soleus muscle results primarily from stretch of the common-elastic elements

Sandercock

2000

Journal of Applied Physiology

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“…Similarly, the presence of elastic tissue may in fact be a phylogenetic constraint of the vertebrate musculoskeletal system wherein long tendons are needed to allow the proximal location of muscle mass and that performance may actually suffer because of this. The collagen fibres in tendon have a Young's modulus of 1.5×10 9 N m −2 (Bennett et al 1986), which although high for flexible biological tissues, is much lower than the 200×10 9 N m −2 found in steel cable (Vogel 1998). Elastic storage may be unavoidable instead of desirable, which is an important consideration when building robots.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary Robotic Approaches in Primate Gait Analysis

et al. 2010

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Understanding how primates move is particularly challenging because many of the experimentation techniques that would normally be available are unsuitable for ethical and conservation reasons. We therefore need to develop techniques that can maximize the data available from minimally intrusive experimentation. One approach for achieving this is to use evolutionary robotic techniques to build a musculoskeletal simulation and generate movement patterns that optimize some global parameter such as economy or performance, or to match existing kinematic data. If the simulation has a sufficiently high biofidelity and can match experimentally measured performance criteria then we can use it to predict aspects of locomotor mechanics that would otherwise be impossible to measure. This approach is particularly valuable when studying fossil primates because it can be based entirely on morphology and can generate movements spontaneously. A major question in human evolution is the origin of bipedal running and the role of elastic energy storage. By using an evolutionary robotics model of humanoid running we can show that elastic storage is required for efficient, high-performance running. Elasticity allows both energy recovery to minimize total energy cost and also power amplification to allow high performance. The most important elastic energy store on the human hind limb is the Achilles tendon: a feature that is at best weakly expressed among the African great apes. By running simulations both with and without this structure we can demonstrate its importance, and we suggest that identification of the presence or otherwise of this tendon-perhaps by calcaneal morphology or Sharpey's fibers-is essential for identifying when and where in the fossil record human style running originated.

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“…This unusual property is thought to derive from the varying angle of collagen fibrils throughout the fascicle, which was observed to vary depending on the biological role of the tendon, and affects its elastic response [65]. This is notably efficient: under stresses of 20 MPa and frequencies of 1-2 Hz, tendon tissues were shown to return up to 93 % of strain energy [66].…”

Section: Tendons-release Of Stored Energymentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphing in nature and beyond: a review of natural and synthetic shape-changing materials and mechanisms

2016

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Shape-changing materials open an entirely new solution space for a wide range of disciplines: from architecture that responds to the environment and medical devices that unpack inside the body, to passive sensors and novel robotic actuators. While synthetic shape-changing materials are still in their infancy, studies of biological morphing materials have revealed key paradigms and features which underlie efficient natural shape-change. Here, we review some of these insights and how they have been, or may be, translated to artificial solutions. We focus on soft matter due to its prevalence in nature, compatibility with users and potential for novel design. Initially, we review examples of natural shape-changing materials-skeletal muscle, tendons and plant tissues-and compare with synthetic examples with similar methods of operation. Stimuli to motion are outlined in general principle, with examples of their use and potential in manufactured systems. Anisotropy is identified as a crucial element in directing shape-change to fulfil designed tasks, and some manufacturing routes to its achievement are highlighted. We conclude with potential directions for future work, including the simultaneous development of materials and manufacturing techniques and the hierarchical combination of effects at multiple length scales.

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Mechanical properties of various mammalian tendons

Cited by 340 publications

References 19 publications

Nonlinear summation of force in cat soleus muscle results primarily from stretch of the common-elastic elements

Nonlinear summation of force in cat soleus muscle results primarily from stretch of the common-elastic elements

Evolutionary Robotic Approaches in Primate Gait Analysis

Morphing in nature and beyond: a review of natural and synthetic shape-changing materials and mechanisms

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