The mechanism causing tendon curvature and its functional role

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25350828
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Sports science
• Research Institution: Kanagawa University
• Principal Investigator: Kinugasa Ryuta 神奈川大学, 人間科学部, 准教授 (10409378)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TANIGUCHI Keigo 札幌医科大学, 保健医療学部, 講師 (90381277)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: Thiel法未固定解剖体 / 位相コントラストイメージング / 受動的収縮 / ヒト / アキレス腱

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Both the mechanism causing tendon curvature and its role remains unknown, to elucidate which the objective of this study was to investigate the anatomical structure and mechanisms that could possible cause the bending of the Achilles tendon during human ankle passive rotation. Removal of the Kager’s fat pad in Thiel-embalmed cadavers produced tendon buckles where there is the location of the Kager’s fat pad, but the tendon curvature was preserved. Such curvature disappeared when stiff plastic material was implanted instead of the Kager’s fat pad. Tendon stiffness and collagen fiber distributed homogeneously with respect to the line of the tendon at the location of bending. Therefore, the structure of the Achilles tendon itself causes the bending. When the location of tendon bending was closer to the ankle center of rotation, the calcaneus excursion was amplified relative to the Achilles tendon length change due to the mechanical effect at the ankle rather than tendon elasticity.

Free Research Field

筋生理学