Changes in the shear plantar soft tissue properties with diabetes are believed to play a role in plantar ulceration, yet little is known about these properties. Our group recently conducted shear tests on specimens previously tested in compression to fully characterize the tissue under both these loading modes. However, previously tested specimens may not necessarily provide representative mechanical properties as prior testing may have altered the tissue to an unknown extent. Thus, the purpose of this study was to test the effect of prior compression testing on both the plantar soft tissue shear and compressive properties using paired specimens. First, one specimen from each pair was subject to compression using our standard protocol with modifications to compare compressive properties before and after the protocol while the other specimen from each pair was left untested. Then, both specimens (i.e., one previously compression tested and one previously untested) were subject to shear testing. The results indicate that prior compression testing may affect the tissue compressive properties by reducing peak stress and modulus; however, additional testing is needed since these results were likely confounded by stress softening effects. In contrast, neither the elastic nor the viscoelastic plantar soft tissue shear properties were affected by prior testing in compression, indicating that previously compression tested specimens should be viable for use in future shear tests. However, these results are limited given the small sample size of the study and the fact that only nondiabetic specimens were examined.
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September 2013
Technical Briefs
The Effect of Prior Compression Tests on the Plantar Soft Tissue Compressive and Shear Properties
Paul T. Vawter,
Paul T. Vawter
VA RR&D Center of Excellence for Limb Loss
Prevention and Prosthetic Engineering,
Seattle, WA 98108;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Prevention and Prosthetic Engineering,
Seattle, WA 98108;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Washington
,Seattle, WA 98195
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William R. Ledoux
William R. Ledoux
1
VA RR&D Center of Excellence for Limb Loss
Prevention and Prosthetic Engineering,
Seattle, WA 98108;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine,
Seattle, WA 98195
e-mail: wrledoux@u.washington.edu
Prevention and Prosthetic Engineering,
Seattle, WA 98108;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Washington
,Seattle, WA 98195
;Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine,
University of Washington
,Seattle, WA 98195
e-mail: wrledoux@u.washington.edu
1Corresponding author.
Search for other works by this author on:
Paul T. Vawter
VA RR&D Center of Excellence for Limb Loss
Prevention and Prosthetic Engineering,
Seattle, WA 98108;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Prevention and Prosthetic Engineering,
Seattle, WA 98108;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Washington
,Seattle, WA 98195
William R. Ledoux
VA RR&D Center of Excellence for Limb Loss
Prevention and Prosthetic Engineering,
Seattle, WA 98108;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine,
Seattle, WA 98195
e-mail: wrledoux@u.washington.edu
Prevention and Prosthetic Engineering,
Seattle, WA 98108;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Washington
,Seattle, WA 98195
;Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine,
University of Washington
,Seattle, WA 98195
e-mail: wrledoux@u.washington.edu
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Bioengineering Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICAL ENGINEERING. Manuscript received August 3, 2012; final manuscript received April 19, 2013; accepted manuscript posted May 16, 2013; published online July 10, 2013. Assoc. Editor: Barclay Morrison.
J Biomech Eng. Sep 2013, 135(9): 094501 (5 pages)
Published Online: July 10, 2013
Article history
Received:
August 3, 2012
Revision Received:
April 19, 2013
Accepted:
May 16, 2013
Citation
Pai, S., Vawter, P. T., and Ledoux, W. R. (July 10, 2013). "The Effect of Prior Compression Tests on the Plantar Soft Tissue Compressive and Shear Properties." ASME. J Biomech Eng. September 2013; 135(9): 094501. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4024572
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