Soft tissue injury mechanics
• Understand the general features of soft tissue injury
mechanics
• Be able to discuss injury mechanisms for a range of skeletal
soft tissues
• Be able to use the case study of whiplash biomechanics to
illustrate explanations of methods of investigating soft
tissue injury mechanisms
Soft tissue injury mechanics
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Tendons
Ligaments
Articular cartilage
Fibro-cartilage
Muscle
General features
General features
General features
General features
General features
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All structures are white when everything else is pink or red.
Very little blood supply compared to other tissues.
Nutrient and oxygen supply poor.
Extra-cellular matrix.
Turnover and repair slow.
Sprains and strains
• Sprain – minor ligament injury
• Strain – minor tendon injury
• Partial failure in tension
Sprains and strains