title: Mechanical factors in the initiation and propagation of tears of the rotator cuff. Quantification of strains of the supraspinatus tendon in vitro.
abstract: Differential strain has been proposed to be a causative factor in failure of the supraspinatus tendon. We quantified the strains on the joint and bursal sides of the supraspinatus tendon with increasing load (20 to 200 N) and during 120 degrees of glenohumeral abduction with a constant tensile load (20 to 100 N). We tested ten fresh frozen cadaver shoulders on a purpose-built rig. Differential variable reluctance extensometers allowed calculation of the strain. Static loading to 100 N or more increased strains on the joint side significantly more than on the bursal side. During glenohumeral abduction an increasing and significant difference in strain was measured between the joint and bursal sides of the supraspinatus tendon, which reached a maximum of 10.6% at abduction of 120 degrees. The joint side strain of 7.5% reached values which were previously reported to cause failure. Differential strain causes shearing between the layers of the supraspinatus tendon, which may contribute to the propagation of intratendinous defects that are initiated by high joint side strains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, England, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Amis
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: R J H
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Emery
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000503:physiopathology; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000503:physiopathology; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology