title: Stiffness of the ligaments of the human wrist joint.
abstract: In the present study the stiffness of the superficial ligaments of 14 human cadaver wrist joints have been determined. In these experiments the tested, fresh-frozen carpal joints are divided into a number of bone-ligament-bone complexes, which are loaded in a tensile testing machine at a rate of 66% of the ligaments' initial length per second to a maximal strain of 15%. From the force-elongation curves and ligament dimensions the tangent moduli for the ligament-bone strips are derived. The results show that, with regard to the tangent modulus, there is not a clear differentiation among ligament strips. Only the dorsal radiotriquetrum ligament (RTD) and the palmar radiocapitate ligament (RCP) appear to consist of a material of a relatively high tangent modulus, about 93 and 83 MPa, respectively. The other seven ligaments tested have similar tangent moduli, ranging from 25 to about 50 MPa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Embryology, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Savelberg
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kooloos
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huiskes
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kauer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002348:Carpal Bones; D004548:Elasticity; D006801:Humans; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014955:Wrist Joint