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Computational And Experimental Study Of Degeneration, Damage And Failure In Biological Soft Tissues, Gregory Allen Von Forell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this work was to analyze the biomechanics of degeneration, damage, and failure in biological soft tissues both experimentally and computationally to provide insight into tendon or ligament tearing, tendo-achilles lengthening and lumbar spine dysfunction. For soft tissue tearing, experimental studies for calculating fracture toughness were performed and determined that tendons and ligaments are able to completely resist tear propagation. For tendo-achilles lengthening, a damage model was developed to mimic the behavior of the lengthening that occurs as a result of the percutaneous triple hemisection technique. The model provided insight for predicting the amount of lengthening that occurs …

Development And Validation Of A Human Knee Joint Finite Element Model For Tissue Stress And Strain Predictions During Exercise, Spencer D. Wangerin

Master's Theses

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative condition of cartilage and is the leading cost of disability in the United States. Motion analysis experiments in combination with knee-joint finite element (FE) analysis may be used to identify exercises that maintain knee-joint osteochondral (OC) loading at safe levels for patients at high-risk for knee OA, individuals with modest OC defects, or patients rehabilitating after surgical interventions. Therefore, a detailed total knee-joint FE model was developed by modifying open-source knee-joint geometries in order to predict OC tissue stress and strain during the stance phase of gait. The model was partially validated for predicting the …

Skeletal Muscle Contraction Simulation: A Comparison In Modeling, Jonathan M. Ford

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Computer generated three-dimensional (3-D) models are being used at increasing rates in the fields of entertainment, education, research, and engineering. One of the aspects of interest includes the behavior and function of the musculoskeletal system. One such tool used by engineers is the finite element method (FEM) to simulate the physics behind muscle mechanics. There are several ways to represent 3-D muscle geometry, namely a bulk, a central line of action and a spline model. The purpose of this study is to exmine how these three representations affect the overall outcome of muscle movement. This is examined in a series …

In Vitro Manual Therapy And Biorobotic Simulation Of Glenohumeral Joint Mobilization Techniques, Hunter Johnson Smith

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Physical therapists (PT) employ mobilization techniques for restoring range of motion to joints. Few studies have attempted to quantify the biomechanics of manual therapy on the glenohumeral (GH) joint. The objectives of this study were to develop an in vitro protocol to determine the biomechanical effects of joint mobilization on the GH joint, and to then simulate these mobilizations in the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) Joint Implant Biomechanics Laboratory’s Robotic Testing Platform (RTP).

The GH joint is an incredibly shallow socket joint. This gives the joint an unusually large range of motion (ROM) compared to other ball …

Correlation Of Shoulder And Elbow Kinetics With Ball Velocity In College Baseball Pitchers, Eric Post

Theses and Dissertations

Specific injuries at the elbow and glenohumeral joints have been linked to several kinetic variables that occur throughout the throwing motion. Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) sprains have been linked to excessive elbow valgus and shoulder external rotation torques occurring during the late-cocking phase of throwing. Shoulder external rotation torque during the late arm-cocking phase and shoulder distraction forces during the deceleration phase contribute to tears of the labrum. Additionally, it is believed that the peak distraction force generated during the arm deceleration phase also contributes to SLAP tears and rotator cuff pathologies. Very little research has been done to directly …

Design And Development Of A Novel Expanding Pedicle Screw For Use In The Osteoporotic Lumbar Spine, Parham Rasoulinejad

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Pedicle screws are commonly utilized in spinal surgery; however, traditional designs often do not provide adequate fixation in osteoporotic spines. The objective of this thesis was to develop a novel expanding screw for use in osteoporotic lumbar pedicles. Helical screws capable of expanding post insertion were built on a rapid prototype machine. A materials testing machine performed axial load to failure tests in both Sawbones and cadaveric specimens comparing the new design to traditional screws (rate = 10mm/min to 20 mm). Output parameters included yield load, ultimate load, stiffness, energy to failure and total energy. The expanding screw showed a …

Complex Shoulder Instability: The Role Of The Latarjet Coracoid Transfer, Ryan Degen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Recurrent anterior shoulder instability is a common clinical entity often requiring surgical stabilization. Recurrence rates following soft-tissue stabilization procedures are moderately high and have been attributed to associated bony defects of either the glenoid or humeral head. Complex shoulder instability, defined as instability associated with bony defects around the shoulder, is a challenging clinical problem. The Latarjet coracoid transfer has been proposed as a treatment option and its resultant stabilizing effects have been explored in this biomechanical cadaver-based study.

For both glenoid and humeral head defects, the Latarjet coracoid transfer adequately stabilized the shoulder, outperforming other procedures often utilized for …

Effects Of Lateral Shoe Wedges And Toe-In Foot Progression Angles On The Biomechanics Of Knee Osteoarthritis During Stationary Cycling, Jacob Kale Gardner

Doctoral Dissertations

Exercise is important for individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA) but certain activities can be painful and discourage participation. Cycling is commonly prescribed for OA but practically no previous literature exists. Due to their altered knee kinematics, OA patients may be at greater risk of OA progression or other knee injuries during cycling. The purpose of Study One was to investigate the effects of lateral wedges on knee joint biomechanics and pain in patients with medial compartment knee OA. The purpose of Study Two was to investigate the effects of toe-in foot progression angles on the same variables. Thirteen OA subjects …

The Interaction Of Mechanical Loading And Metabolic Stress On Human Cortical Bone: Testing Anthropological Assumptions Using Cross-Sectional Geometry And Histomorphology, Courtney Dianne Eleazer

Doctoral Dissertations

This research investigates how the interaction of mechanics (i.e., physical activity) and metabolism (i.e., health status) shapes human cortical bone morphology during skeletal development. Understanding this interaction is important for research investigating human behavior from adult and subadult archaeological skeletal samples, as previous studies have demonstrated that interaction effects may confound the interpretation of either mechanics or metabolism independently from skeletal remains.

This study approaches this issue holistically through the analysis of human cortical bone morphology at dual scales (microscopic and macroscopic scales) and across multiple skeletal elements (femora, humeri, and ribs) exposed to different levels of mechanical loading. Because …

Computational Biomechanical Modeling Of The Human Knee During Kneeling, Tariq R. Abo-Alhol

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Total knee replacement benefits patients who suffer from severe knee pain or joint stiffness and other joint related illnesses that limit everyday activities. There has been an increase in the number of procedures performed each year and a need to evaluate the performance of these implants during specialized activities such as kneeling. Most computational studies lack insight into inter-patient variability and the results do not apply to large population. This study developed: (1) three-dimensional explicit finite element (FE) models to investigate natural and implanted knee joint kinematics and bone strain and (2) a platform to enable population-based evaluation by combining …

The Bioarchaeology Of Changes In Social Stratification, Warfare, And Habitual Activities Among Iron Age Samnites Of Central Italy, Vitale Sparacello

Anthropology ETDs

This study uses a bioarchaeological approach to investigate the behavioral and social correlates of changes in skeletal properties during the Iron Age of central Italy. This was a period of demographic growth, increase in sociopolitical complexity, and social stratification. Early states were developing from simpler forms of social aggregation, and expansionistic, large-scale warfare was beginning. I analyzed the mechanical properties of Iron Age human skeletons (844 individuals) from 11 necropoleis belonging to the Oscan ethno-linguistic group (Samnites). The analysis of grave goods allowed for a division of individuals by status categories. Iron Age samples show an increase in stature compared …

Steeplechase Hurdle Economy, Mechanics, And Performance, Sarah Ingebretsen

Theses and Dissertations

Research surrounding the steeplechase is scarce, with most research focusing primarily on how biomechanical factors relate to maintaining running speed while crossing barriers. One area that has not been well explored is the relationship between biomechanical factors and hurdling economy. The purpose of this study was to investigate how performance times and biomechanical variables relate to hurdling economy during the steeplechase. This was accomplished by measuring running economy of collegiate and professional steeplechasers while running with and without hurdles. Biomechanical measures of approach velocity, take-off distance, clearance height, and lead knee extension while hurdling, as well as steeplechase performance times …

The Design And Validation Of A Computational Model Of The Human Wrist Joint, Afsarul Mir

Theses and Dissertations

Advancements in computational capabilities have allowed researchers to turn towards modeling as an efficient tool to replicate and predict outcomes of complex systems. Computational models of the musculoskeletal system have gone through various iterations with early versions employing dramatic simplifications. In this work, a three-dimensional computational model of the wrist joint was developed. It accurately recreated the skeletal structures of the hand and wrist and represented the constraints imposed by soft tissue structures like ligaments, tendons, and other surrounding tissues. It was developed to function as a tool to investigate the biomechanical contributions of structures and the kinematic response of …

The Effect Of Cell Density And Cultivation Period On Skeletal Muscle Extracellular Matrix Accumulation, Ryan Yarnall

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Traumatic skeletal muscle injuries have led to severe disability disallowing one to perform necessary daily tasks. Different methods are under current research to rebuild muscle tissue and have it function properly. One such method is the use of extracellular matrix, or ECM, retrieved from cells to create biological scaffolds providing structure for myoblast cells to grow into tissue. This research holds promise because it utilizes the body’s own machinery, minimizing risk of a foreign body response. To obtain ECM scaffolding, one viable technique involves the cultivation of cells on polyurethane foams to collect and harvest ECM. This research investigates the …

Effects Of Footstrike Pattern On Low Back Posture, Shock Attenuation, And Comfort During Running, Traci L. Delgado, Emilia Kubera-Shelton, Robert R. Robb

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose: Barefoot running (BF) is popular in the running community. Biomechanical changes occur with BF, especially when initial contact changes from rearfoot strike (RFS) to forefoot strike (FFS). In addition, changes in lumbar spine range of motion (ROM), particularly involving lumbar lordosis, have been associated with increased low back pain (LBP). However it is not known how changing from RFS to FFS affects lumbar lordosis or LBP. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine if a change from RFS to FFS would change lumbar lordosis, and/or decrease shock attenuation, and/or change comfort levels in healthy recreational/experienced runners.

Methods: …

Integrating Biomechanics And Cell Physiology To Understanding Ivd Nutrition And Cell Homeostasis, Yongren Wu

All Dissertations

Back pain associated with degeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD) is a major public health problem in Western industrialized societies. Degeneration of the IVD changes the osmotic and nutrient environment in the extracellular matrix (ECM) which affects cell behaviors, including: cell proliferation, cell energy metabolism, and matrix synthesis. In addition, a thin layer of hyaline cartilaginous end-plate (CEP) at the superior/inferior disc-vertebral interface was found to play an important role in nutrient supply as well as load distribution in the IVD. Therefore, our general hypothesis is that the CEP regulates the ECM osmotic and nutrient environment which further affects IVD …

Biomechanical Testing Of Salter-Harris Fractures Type I And Ii In The Distal Femur And Proximal Tibia, Margeaux Rogers

All Theses

Salter-Harris fractures of the proximal tibia and distal femur are common in pediatric patients that present to orthopedic surgeons. Salter-Harris type I fractures are characterized by breaks that extend only through the physis while Salter-Harris II fractures are the most common, accounting for 85% of Salter-Harris fractures, and extend past the growth plate, exiting through the metaphyseal bone1. Fixation of these fracture types can be accomplished using a variety of methods including the use of Kirschner wires, cannulated screws, and a combination of both materials. Stability of fracture fixation is of utmost importance as persistent motion at the fracture margin …

Examination Of Lower Extremity Muscle Activity During An Overhand Lacrosse Shot In Females, Brianna Millard

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study intends to provide a basic biomechanical understanding of a specific movement within the sport of lacrosse, an overhand goal shot. Its purpose is to identify the different muscles of the lower extremity and the roles they perform during each phase of the lacrosse shot. Specifically, the study will compare how active muscles are between phases as well as between two different shot speeds. This research provides insight into the importance of timing muscle contractions that lead to a more accurate and faster shot.

Subjects (n=5 females, age: 21.8 ± 2 years, height: 162.56 ± 15.24cm, mass: 63.68 ± …

The Development And Application Of A Custom Robotic Biomechanical Testing Platform Employing Real-Time Load-Control To Compare Spinal Biomechanical Testing Protocols: Pure Moment, Ideal Follower Load, And A Novel Trunk Weight Protocol, Charles Ramsey Bennett

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The human lumbar spine has been the subject of biomechanical study for many decades owing to the numerous medical cases resulting in the development of various corrective surgical procedures and medical devices intended to relieve patient discomfort. Spinal biomechanics is a broad field containing but not limited to the in vitro study of cadaveric tissue utilizing testing platforms used to apply motion- or load-profiles to tissue in the investigation of the various kinetic or kinematic responses, respectively. The particular arena field of this research concerns the field of robotics as it applies to testing platforms and how they are applied …

An Investigation Of Subaxial Cervical Spine Trauma And Surgical Treatment Through Biomechanical Simulation And Kinematic Analysis, Stewart D. Mclachlin

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In vitro biomechanical investigations can help to identify changes in subaxial cervical spine (C3-C7) stability following injury, and determine the efficacy of surgical treatments through controlled joint simulation experiments and kinematic analyses. However, with the large spectrum of cervical spine trauma, a large fraction of the potential injuries have not been examined biomechanically. This includes a lack of studies investigating prevalent flexion-distraction injuries. Therefore, the overall objective of this thesis was to investigate the changes in subaxial cervical spine kinematic stability with simulated flexion-distraction injuries and current surgical instrumentation approaches using both established and novel biomechanical techniques.

Three in vitro …

An Assessment Of Tibiofemoral Kinematics And Kinetics Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Brooke Ashley Sanford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most commonly injured knee ligament with approximately 250,000 ACL tears diagnosed each year in the United States which leads to an estimated 150,000 ACL reconstructions annually. The primary goal of ACLreconstruction is to restore stability to the knee and return the patient to their prior level of activity. However, it has been reported that abnormal motion and/or forces at the knee due to ACL reconstruction could lead to early-onset knee osteoarthritis. It is hypothesized that alterations in knee joint kinematic and kinetic measurements after ACLreconstruction can be characterized when comapred to a control …

Quantifying The Nonlinear, Anisotropic Material Response Of Spinal Ligaments, Daniel J. Robertson

Theses and Dissertations

Spinal ligaments may be a significant source of chronic back pain, yet they are often disregarded by the clinical community due to a lack of information with regards to their material response, and innervation characteristics. The purpose of this dissertation was to characterize the material response of spinal ligaments and to review their innervation characteristics.


Review of relevant literature revealed that all of the major spinal ligaments are innervated. They cause painful sensations when irritated and provide reflexive control of the deep spinal musculature. As such, including the neurologic implications of iatrogenic ligament damage in the evaluation of surgical procedures …

Effect Of Rolling On Viscoelastic Fluids Using A Novel Testing Device, Aswini Mangadu

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this research thesis project was to develop a mechanical testing device that could enable us to load articular cartilage with a rolling/sliding motion. This novel device was then used to observe the effect of a rolling motion on the fluid film thickness of different lubricants (motor oil, synovial fluid and Hyaluronic Acid (HA)) to varying loads (1kg, 2,kg, 3kg and 4kg) and speeds (10, 25, 48 and 91 mm/s) applied on the sample fluids for 10 cycles. We were able to examine the effect of different speeds within each load for each of the fluid that was …

The Effects Of Biotic And Abiotic Factors On Byssogenesis, Growth And Movement Patterns Of The Blue Mussel, Mytilus Edulis, Yvette Louise Garner

Doctoral Dissertations

Blue mussels create extensive aggregations on intertidal and low subtidal shores in the Gulf of Maine, in which they modify habitat, trap sediments and create microclimates for many organisms. Mussels are an important aquaculture species worldwide, and play a major part of the economy of New England. Blue mussels produce collagenous byssal threads to anchor themselves to the substrate on wave swept shores. Byssogenesis, growth and movement abilities of mussels are influenced by a host of biotic and abiotic factors. In this dissertation I quantified byssogenesis and growth of the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, affected by wave exposure, temperature, and …

Effect Of Biofeedback Devices In Partial Weight-Bearing Orthopaedic Patients, Joshua William Hustedt

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Partial weight-bearing (PWB) instructions are commonly given to orthopaedic patients. However, the ability of patients to comply with these instructions is poorly defined. Recent advances in technology have created biofeedback devices capable of offering real-time feedback to patients given PWB instructions. These devices could potentially increase patient compliance with PWB instructions following orthopaedic surgery. This thesis was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of modulating partial weight-bearing using the SmartStepTM biofeedback device.

Fifty asymptomatic subjects aged 21-72 years were given three educational interventions designed to train them to limit weight-bearing on a lower extremity: verbal instructions, training with a bathroom scale, …

A Robotic Neuro-Musculoskeletal Simulator For Spine Research, Robb W. Colbrunn

ETD Archive

An influential conceptual framework advanced by Panjabi represents the living spine as a complex neuromusculoskeletal system whose biomechanical functioning is rather finely dependent upon the interactions among and between three principal subsystems: the passive musculoskeletal subsystem (osteoligamentous spine plus passive mechanical contributions of the muscles), the active musculoskeletal subsystem (muscles and tendons), and the neural and feedback subsystem (neural control centers and feedback elements such as mechanoreceptors located in the soft tissues) [1]. The interplay between subsystems readily encourages "thought experiments" of how pathologic changes in one subsystem might influence another--for example, prompting one to speculate how painful arthritic changes …

Evolutionary Ground Reaction Force Control Of A Prosthetic Leg Testing Robot, Ronald Davis.

ETD Archive

Typical tests of prosthetic legs for transfemoral amputees prove to be cumbersome and tedious. These tests are burdened by acclimation time, lack of repeatability between subjects, and the use of complex gait analysis labs to collect data. To create a new method for prosthesis testing, we design and construct a robot that can simulate the motion of a human hip. We discuss the robot from concept to completion, including methods for modeling and control design. Two single-input-single-output (SISO) sliding mode controllers are developed using analytical and experimental methods. We use human gait data as reference inputs to the controller. When …

Modeling Of Legged Locomotion With A Suspended Load In The Sagittal Plane, Karna P. Potwar

Open Access Theses

Walking or running while carrying loads has always been a tedious task, more so when the loads are heavy. Such a task of carrying loads not only requires extra effort but also leads to physical pain and in some cases injury. Prior studies on human locomotion with a suspended load have used models that are restricted in their DOFs and so are not able to take into account the fore aft movement in human beings. The objective of this thesis is to model the dynamics of sagittal plane center-of-mass locomotion with a suspended load and apply findings to carrying loads …

Video Analysis: An Efficient Tool For The Modern Collegiate Baseball Hitting Coach, Eduardo Cornejo

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this project is to focus on how video analysis can be an essential teaching tool for today's hitting coaches, specifically for those who look to become more efficient with limited time for instruction. This project attempts to enhance the efforts of collegiate baseball coaches to effectively teach a complex activity so that they can fulfill the other demands of their job. It is commonly known that college coaches have a rigorous schedule of recruiting future student-athletes and administrative duties not related to on-field instruction. A literature review was conducted to show how video analysis could be a …

The Influence Of Sex And Skill Level On Patellar Tendon Loading During Landing, Ina Janssen

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

BACKGROUND: Repetitive, high patellar tendon loading has been associated with the development of patellar tendinopathy, the most common overuse knee injury incurred in sports with a high volume of jumping and landing, such as volleyball. A large patellar tendinopathy prevalence discrepancy exists between male versus female players and highly skilled versus skilled players. It is unknown, however, how sex and skill level influence the patellar tendon load generated during landing. It is possible that male and/or highly skilled volleyball players utilise a landing technique, or exhibit specific risk factors, that contribute to high patellar tendon loading, thereby increasing their susceptibility …