Researchers have developed algorithms to pinpoint weak spots in the tendons, bones, and muscles that are prone to breaking or tearing, according to a study published online August 27 in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.
“Tendons are constantly stretching as muscles pull on them, and bones also bend or compress as we carry out everyday activities,” said senior investigator Stavros Thomopoulos, PhD, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Washington University in St. Louis. “Small cracks or tears can result from these loads and lead to major injuries. Understanding how these tears and cracks develop over time therefore is important for diagnosing and tracking injuries.”
Stavros Thomopoulos, PhD
The investigators developed a way to visualize and predict spots where tissues are weakened. This was accomplished by stretching tissues and tracking the results as their shapes changed. Algorithms were then developed that can identify areas of weakening prior to breakage. The algorithm was tested in various materials and in animal models. “The new algorithm allowed us to find the places where the tears were beginning to form and to track them as they extended. Older algorithms are not as good at finding and tracking localized strains,” the researchers reported.
One of the two algorithms is 1,000 times more accurate than older methods at quantifying very large stretches near tiny cracks and tears. A second algorithm has the ability to predict where cracks and failures are likely to form.
Overall, the researchers aim to use these algorithms to prevent additional injuries following surgery to repair shoulders, knees, and other tissue. “It’s vital to understand the ways that physical forces cause structures and tissues to deform so that we can identify the onset of failures and eventually predict them.”