Institute for Biomedical Research into Human Movement and Health (IRM), Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Tower, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK.
J Biomech. 2010 Apr 19;43(6):1190-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2009.11.028. Epub 2009 Dec 31.
It is not currently known how the mechanical properties of human tendons change with maturation in the two sexes. To address this, the stiffness and Young's modulus of the patellar tendon were measured in men, women, boys and girls (each group, n=10). Patellar tendon force (F(pt)) was calculated from the measured joint moment during a ramped voluntary isometric knee extension contraction, the antagonist knee extensor muscle co-activation quantified from its electromyographical activity, and the patellar tendon moment arm measured from magnetic resonance images. Tendon elongation was imaged using the sagittal-plane ultrasound scans throughout the contraction. Tendon cross-sectional area was measured at rest from ultrasound scans in the transverse plane. Maximal F(pt) and tendon elongation were (mean+/-SE) 5453+/-307 N and 5+/-0.5 mm for men, 3877+/-307 N and 4.9+/-0.6 mm for women, 2017+/-170 N and 6.2+/-0.5 mm for boys and 2169+/-182 N and 5.9+/-0.7 mm for girls. In all groups, tendon stiffness and Young's modulus were examined at the level that corresponded to the maximal 30% of the weakest participant's F(pt) and stress, respectively; these were 925-1321 N and 11.5-16.5 MPa, respectively. Stiffness was 94% greater in men than boys and 84% greater in women than girls (p<0.01), with no differences between men and women, or boys and girls (men 1076+/-87 N/mm; women 1030+/-139 N/mm; boys 555+/-71 N/mm and girls 561.5+/-57.4 N/mm). Young's modulus was 99% greater in men than boys (p<0.01), and 66% greater in women than girls (p<0.05). There were no differences in modulus between men and women, or boys and girls (men 597+/-49 MPa; women 549+/-70 MPa; boys 255+/-42 MPa and girls 302+/-33 MPa). These findings indicate that the mechanical stiffness of tendon increases with maturation due to an increased Young's modulus and, in females due to a greater increase in tendon cross-sectional area than tendon length.
目前尚不清楚人类跟腱的力学性能在两性中是如何随着成熟而变化的。为了解决这个问题，我们测量了男性、女性、男孩和女孩的髌腱的刚度和杨氏模量（每组 n=10）。髌腱力（F(pt)）是根据在斜坡式自愿等长膝关节伸展收缩过程中测量到的关节力矩、从其肌电图活动量化的拮抗膝关节伸肌共同激活以及从磁共振图像测量的髌腱力臂计算得出的。在整个收缩过程中，使用矢状面超声扫描来成像跟腱伸长。在横切面上使用超声扫描在休息时测量跟腱的横截面积。最大 F(pt)和跟腱伸长量为男性 5453+/-307 N 和 5+/-0.5 mm，女性 3877+/-307 N 和 4.9+/-0.6 mm，男孩 2017+/-170 N 和 6.2+/-0.5 mm，女孩 2169+/-182 N 和 5.9+/-0.7 mm。在所有组中，在与最弱参与者的 F(pt)的 30%相对应的水平上检查了跟腱的刚度和杨氏模量，分别为 925-1321 N 和 11.5-16.5 MPa。男性的刚度比男孩高 94%，女性比女孩高 84%（p<0.01），男性与女性之间或男孩与女孩之间没有差异（男性 1076+/-87 N/mm；女性 1030+/-139 N/mm；男孩 555+/-71 N/mm 和女孩 561.5+/-57.4 N/mm）。男性的杨氏模量比男孩高 99%（p<0.01），女性比女孩高 66%（p<0.05）。男性与女性之间或男孩与女孩之间在模量方面没有差异（男性 597+/-49 MPa；女性 549+/-70 MPa；男孩 255+/-42 MPa 和女孩 302+/-33 MPa）。这些发现表明，由于杨氏模量的增加以及女性的跟腱横截面积比长度增加更大，跟腱的机械刚度随着成熟而增加。
