Musculo-skeletal shock absorption:​ relative contribution of bone and soft tissues at various frequencies

Paul, I. L.<sup>1</sup>; Munro, Michael B.<sup>1,4</sup>; Abernethy, P. J.<sup>2,5</sup>; Simon, S. R.<sup>2</sup>; Radin, E. L.<sup>2</sup>; Rose, R. M.<sup>3</sup>

Affiliations

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Cambridge, MA 02139, U.S.A.

²Department of Orthopedic Research, Harvard Medical School at the Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A.

³Department of Metallurgy and Materials Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, U.S.A.

⁴Present address: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

⁵Present address: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Princess Margaret Rose HospitaI, Edinburgh, EH43L2, Scotland.

Abstract

In order to study the relative contribution of bone and soft tissue in the attenuation of peak dynamic force as a function of frequency, the legs of rabbits with a force transducer implanted in their upper tibial shaft were impulsively loaded with a variety of cams. The effects of this loading were studied with the animals anesthetized and after removal of various soft tissue constituents of the lower extremities. The results were subjected to frequency analysis. There was no difference in results whether the animal was awake or asleep. A resonance frequency between 6–9 Hz existed in the bone of all animals tested. Soft tissue and bone attenuated peak forces most effectively at higher frequency ranges. These components tended to complement the previously described shock-absorbing mechanism involving the stretching of muscle under tension, which appears to be more effective at lower frequencies. The heel pad contributed to peak force attenuation over the entire measured frequency spectrum.

Links

DOI: 10.1016/0021-9290(78)90049-0

PubMed: 711772

WoS: A1978FQ27100003

History

Received: 1977-09-26

Revised: 1978-01-3

Cited Works (2)

Year	Entry
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Cited By (20)

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2003	Wang SC, Bednarski B, Patel S, Yan A, Kohoyda-Inglis C, Kennedy T, Link E, Rowe S, Sochor M, Arbab S. Increased depth of subcutaneous fat is protective against abdominal injuries in motor vehicle collisions. In: 47th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). September 22-24, 2003; Lisbon, Portugal.545-559.
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1985	Dickinson JA, Cook SD, Leinhardt TM. The measurement of shock waves following heel strike while running. J Biomech. 1985;18(6):415-422.
2001	Gefen A, Megido-Ravid M, Itzchak Y. In vivo biomechanical behavior of the human heel pad during the stance phase of gait. J Biomech. 2001;34(12):1661-1665.
2002	Miller-Young JE, Duncan NA, Baroud G. Material properties of the human calcaneal fat pad in compression: experiment and theory. J Biomech. December 2002;35(12):1523-1531.
2000	Garner E, Lakes R, Lee T, Swan C, Brand R. Viscoelastic dissipation in compact bone: implications for stress-induced fluid flow in bone. J Biomech Eng. April 2000;122(2):166-172.
1990	Burr DB, Milgrom C, Boyd RD, Higgins WL, Robin G, Radin EL. Experimental stress fractures of the tibia: biological and mechanical aetiology in rabbits. J Bone Joint Surg. May 1990;72B(3):370-375.
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2015	Boyer ER. Rearfoot, Mid/forefoot, and Barefoot Running: Biomechanical Differences Related to Injury [PhD thesis]. Iowa State University; 2015.
1980	Clarke TE. The Pressure Distribution Under the Foot During Barefoot Walking [PhD thesis]. State College, PA: Pennsylvania State University; November 1980.
1984	Valiant GA. A Determination of the Mechanical Characteristics of the Human Heel Pad in Vivo [PhD thesis]. State College, PA: Pennsylvania State University; May 1984.
1995	Cole GK. Loading of the Joints of the Lower Extremities During the Impact Phase in Running [PhD thesis]. Calgary, AB: University of Calgary; July 1995.
2003	Miller-Young JE. Factors Affecting Human Heel Pad Mechanics: A Finite Element Study [PhD thesis]. Calgary, AB: University of Calgary; April 2003.
1989	Anderson DD. Finite Element Analyses of the Impulsively Loaded Extension-Splinted Rabbit Knee [PhD thesis]. University of Iowa; December 1989.
1996	Derrick TR. Impact Shock Attenuation During Running [PhD thesis]. University of Massachusetts at Amherst; September 1996.
1996	Beck BR. The Relationship of Streaming Potential Magnitude to Strain and Periosteal Modeling [PhD thesis]. Eugene, OR: University of Oregon; December 1996.
1999	Ledoux WR II. A Biomechanical Model of the Human Foot With Emphasis on the Plantar Soft Tissue [PhD thesis]. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania; 1999.
2001	Lee T. Viscoelastic Properties of Biological and High-Damping Composite Materials [PhD thesis]. University of Wisconsin – Madison; 2001.