Single collagen fibrils isolated from high stress and low stress tendons show differing susceptibility to enzymatic degradation by the interstitial collagenase matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1).

Bovine forelimb flexor and extensor tendons serve as a model for examining high stress, energy storing and low stress, positional tendons, respectively. Previous research has shown structural differences between the collagen fibrils of these tissues. The nanoscale collagen fibrils of flexor tendons are smaller in size, more heavily crosslinked, and respond differently to mechanical loading. Meanwhile, energy storing tendons undergo less collagen turnover compared to positional tendons and are more commonly injured. These observations raise the question of whether collagen fibril structure influences the collagen degradation processes necessary for remodelling. Atomic force microscopy was used to image dry collagen fibrils before and after 5-hour exposure to matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) to detect changes in fibril size. Collagen fibrils from three tissue types were studied: bovine superficial digital flexor tendons, matched-pair bovine lateral digital extensor tendons, and rat tail tendons. Compared to control fibrils exposed only to buffer, a significant decrease in fibril cross-sectional area (CSA) following MMP-1 exposure was observed for bovine extensor and rat tail fibrils, with larger fibrils experiencing a greater magnitude of CSA decrease in both fibril types. Fibrils from bovine flexor tendons, on the other hand, showed no decrease in CSA when exposed to MMP-1. The result did not appear to be linked to the small size of flexor fibrils, as equivalently sized extensor fibrils were readily degraded by the enzyme. Increased proteolytic resistance of collagen fibrils from high stress tendons may help to explain the longevity of collagen within these tissues in vivo.

Characterization of the passive mechanical properties of spine muscles across species.

Passive mechanical properties differ between muscle groups within a species. Altered functional demands can also shift the passive force-length relationship. The extent that passive mechanical properties differ within a muscle group (e.g. spine extensors) or between homologous muscles of different species is unknown. It was hypothesized that multifidus, believed to specialize in spine stabilization, would generate greater passive tensile stresses under isometric conditions than erector spinae, which have more generalized functions of moving and stabilizing the spine; observing greater multifidus moduli in different species would strengthen this hypothesis. Permeabilized fibre bundles (n = 337) from the multifidus and erector spinae of mice, rats, and rabbits were mechanically tested. A novel logistic function was fit to the experimental data to fully characterize passive stress and modulus. Species had the greatest effect on passive muscle parameters with mice having the largest moduli at all lengths. Rats generated less passive stress than rabbits due to a shift of the passive force-length relationship towards longer muscle lengths. Rat multifidus generated slightly greater stresses than erector spinae, but no differences were observed between mouse muscles. The secondary objective was to determine the parameters required to simulate the passive force-length relationship. Experimental data were compared to the passive muscle model in OpenSim. The default OpenSim model, optimized for hindlimb muscles, did not fit any of the spine muscles tested; however, the model could accurately simulate experimental data after adjusting the input parameters. The optimal parameters for modelling the passive force-length relationships of spine muscles in OpenSim are presented.

Variations of handheld loads increase the range of motion of the lumbar spine without compromising local dynamic stability during walking.

BACKGROUND: Walking is often considered a beneficial management strategy for certain populations of low back pain patients. However, little is known about how simple challenges that people often encounter, such as carrying loads in the hands, affect the low back during walking. RESEARCH QUESTION: How do variations in hand loading affect arm swing, lumbar spine range of motion (ROM), and lumbar spine local dynamic stability (LDS) during walking? METHODS: Sixteen young healthy participants (8 female) performed nine treadmill walking trials, each at 1.25 m/s for 3 consecutive minutes. Conditions manipulated the magnitude of hand loads (unloaded, low, high) and location of hand loads (directly in hands, in bags). Kinematic markers were used to measure sagittal plane arm swing, 3D lumbar spine ROM, and lumbar spine LDS during each trial. RESULTS: Arm swing was significantly (p < 0.001) reduced as load increased directly in the hands; however, when held in bags load magnitude had no effect. Further, arm swing was significantly (p < 0.0001) lower when loads were held in bags. Lumbar flexion/extension ROM was greatest with the low load compared to both unloaded (p = 0.012) and high load (p = 0.0717) conditions, and was also greater (p < 0.0001) with loads held directly in the hands compared to loads in bags. Despite these changes in lumbar spine ROM, lumbar spine LDS was not significantly affected by any of the variations in hand loading. SIGNIFICANCE: The greater lumbar spine cyclic motion, elicited by low hand loads held directly in the hands during walking, may be beneficial to the health of the low back. No changes in lumbar LDS were found, thereby suggesting that the small, likely beneficial, increases in lumbar spine ROM are well controlled by the motor control system and do not create an increased risk of injury.

Paraspinal Muscle Passive Stiffness Remodels in Direct Response to Spine Stiffness: A Study Using the ENT1-Deficient Mouse.

STUDY DESIGN: Basic science study of the relationship between the structural properties of the spine and its surrounding musculature. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether an increase in spine stiffness causes an inverse compensatory change in the passive stiffness of the adjacent paraspinal muscles. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Intervertebral disc degeneration causes an increase in multifidus passive stiffness; this was hypothesized to compensate for a decrease in spine stiffness associated with disc degeneration. Mice lacking equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (ENT1) develop progressive ectopic calcification of the fibrous connective tissues of the spine, which affects the lumbar spine by 6 months of age and likely creates a mechanically stiffer spine. METHODS: Experiments were conducted on four groups of mice (n = 8 mice/group): wild-type (WT) and ENT1 knockout (KO) at 2 or 8 months of age. Lumbar spines were removed and tested in cyclic axial compression to determine neutral zone length and stiffness. Single muscle fibers and bundles of fibers were isolated from lumbar multifidus and erector spinae, as well as tibialis anterior (a non-spine-related control) and tested to determine elastic modulus (passive stiffness). RESULTS: At 2 months of age, neither spine nor muscle stiffness was different between KO and WT. At 8 months of age, compared with WT the lumbar spines of ENT1 KO mice had a stiffer and shorter neutral zone, and the paraspinal muscle fibers were less stiff; however, fiber bundles were not different. In addition, tibialis anterior was not different between KO and WT. CONCLUSION: This work has confirmed that calcification of spinal connective tissues in the ENT1 KO mouse results in a stiffened spine, whereas the concurrent decrease in muscle fiber elastic modulus in the adjacent paraspinal muscles suggests a direct compensatory relationship between the stiffness of the spine and the muscles that are attached to it. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.

The effect of different ranges of motion on local dynamic stability of the elbow during unloaded repetitive flexion-extension movements.

Local dynamic stability (LDS) of movement is controlled primarily by active muscles, and is known to be influenced by factors such as movement speed and inertial load. Other factors such as muscle length, the length of the target trajectory, and the resistance of passive tissues through ranges of motion (ROM) may also influence LDS. This study was designed to examine the effect of ROM, which impacts each of the aforementioned factors, on LDS of the elbow. 16 participants performed 30 unloaded, repetitive, flexion-extension movements of the elbow with varying (1) angular displacement magnitudes: 40° and 80°; (2) locations of ROM: mid-range, flexion end-range, extension end-range; and (3) rotated positions of the forearm: pronated and supinated. LDS was calculated using a finite time Lyapunov analysis of angular elbow flexion-extension kinematic data. EMG-based muscle activation and co-contraction data were also examined for possible mechanisms of stabilization. Results showed no changes in LDS with any movement condition; however, there were significant effects on muscle activation with ROM location and forearm rotated position. This suggests that a consistent level of LDS of the elbow through varying ROMs is maintained, at least in part, by the active control of the elbow flexor and extensor muscles.