1. Mechanical properties of wrist extensor tendons are altered by the presence of rheumatoid arthritis.
- Author
-
Breault-Janicki MJ, Small CF, Bryant JT, Dwosh IL, Lee JM, and Pichora DR
- Subjects
- Humans, Osteoarthritis physiopathology, Stress, Mechanical, Tensile Strength physiology, Weight-Bearing physiology, Arthritis, Rheumatoid physiopathology, Tendons physiopathology, Wrist Joint physiopathology
- Abstract
The in vitro mechanical properties of 14 wrist extensor tendons salvaged at surgery from patients with inflammatory (rheumatoid) arthritis and noninflammatory arthrosis were measured in uniaxial tension and compared. The rheumatoid tendons had higher extensibility at low stresses, lower stiffness in the linear portion of the stress-strain curve, greater rates of stress relaxation, and lower ultimate strengths than did the nonrheumatoid tendons. Differences in tangent modulus, stress remaining at 100 seconds, and ultimate tensile strength were significant at the 95% confidence level. In vivo, mechanically impaired tendons may play an important role in destabilization of the wrist in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
- Published
- 1998
- Full Text
- View/download PDF