Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Venezia 1, I-35131, Padova, Italy.
Centre for Mechanics of Biological Materials, University of Padova, Via G. Marzolo 9, I-35131, Padova, Italy.
Med Biol Eng Comput. 2017 Sep;55(9):1683-1691. doi: 10.1007/s11517-017-1615-0. Epub 2017 Feb 10.
The focus of this work is the numerical modeling of the anterior compartment of the human leg with particular attention to crural fascia. Interaction phenomena between fascia and muscles are of clinical interest to explain some pathologies, as the compartment syndrome. A first step to enhance knowledge on this topic consists in the investigation of fascia biomechanical role and its interaction with muscles in physiological conditions. A three-dimensional finite element model of the anterior compartment is developed based on anatomical data, detailing the structural conformation of crural fascia, composed of three layers, and modeling the muscles as a unique structure. Different constitutive models are implemented to describe the mechanical response of tissues. Crural fascia is modeled as a hyperelastic fiber-reinforced material, while muscle tissue via a three-element Hill's model. The numerical analysis of isotonic contraction of muscles is performed, allowing the evaluation of pressure induced within muscles and consequent stress and strain fields arising on the crural fascia. Numerical results are compared with experimental measurements of the compartment radial deformation and intracompartmental pressure during concentric contraction, to validate the model. The numerical model provides a suitable description of muscles contraction of the anterior compartment and the consequent mechanical interaction with the crural fascia.
这项工作的重点是对人体腿部前室进行数值建模，特别关注小腿筋膜。筋膜与肌肉之间的相互作用现象与一些病理学有关，如间隔综合征。为了增强对这一主题的了解，首先要研究筋膜的生物力学作用及其在生理条件下与肌肉的相互作用。基于解剖学数据，开发了一个前室的三维有限元模型，详细描述了由三层组成的小腿筋膜的结构形态，并将肌肉建模为一个单一的结构。实施了不同的本构模型来描述组织的力学响应。将小腿筋膜建模为超弹性纤维增强材料，而肌肉组织通过三元件希尔模型。对肌肉等张收缩的数值分析，允许评估肌肉内产生的压力以及由此产生的在小腿筋膜上的应力和应变场。数值结果与同心收缩期间隔间径向变形和隔间内压力的实验测量进行了比较，以验证模型。该数值模型提供了对前室肌肉收缩的适当描述，以及与小腿筋膜的相应机械相互作用。
