The location-dependent effect of strain on medial collateral ligament ultrastructure

摘要

Ligamentous injuries to the knee are not infrequent results of sporting and vehicular accidents. With regard to medial collateral ligaments, there is a preponderance of damage to the ligamentous origin or insertion site as opposed to its midsubstance (1); however, whether injuries preferentially occur at the origin vs. the insertion site, is unclear. Surface strain studies indicate that a non-uniform state of strain exists along the length of ligament, with strains typically greatest at the ends (2,3), yet a recent study suggests that there is no correlation between failure sites and areas of maximum surface strain (4). The study also speculates that higher strains may exist deeper in the tissue, especially at the bone-ligament interface.