A novel experimental design for the measurement of metacarpal bone loading and deformation and fingertip force

Szu-Ching Lu; Evie E Vereecke; Alexander Synek; Dieter H Pahr; Tracy L Kivell

doi:10.7717/peerj.5480

A novel experimental design for the measurement of metacarpal bone loading and deformation and fingertip force

Szu-Ching Lu, Evie E Vereecke, Alexander Synek, Dieter H Pahr, Tracy L Kivell

Division of Biomechanics

Research output: Journal article (peer-reviewed) › Journal article

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal and finite element modelling are often used to predict joint loading and bone strength within the human hand, but there is a lack of in vitro evidence of the force and strain experienced by hand bones.

METHODS: This study presents a novel experimental setup that allows the positioning of a cadaveric digit in a variety of postures with the measurement of force and strain experienced by the third metacarpal. The setup allows for the measurement of fingertip force as well. We tested this experimental setup using three cadaveric human third digits in which the flexor tendons were loaded in two tendon pathways: (1) parallel to the metacarpal bone shaft, with bowstringing; (2) a semi-physiological condition in which the tendons were positioned closer to the bone shaft.

RESULTS: There is substantial variation in metacarpal net force, metacarpal strain and fingertip force between the two tendon pathways. The net force acting on the metacarpal bone is oriented palmarly in the parallel tendon condition, causing tension along the dorsum of the metacarpal shaft, while the force increases and is oriented dorsally in the semi-physiological condition, causing compression of the dorsal metacarpal shaft. Fingertip force is also greater in the semi-physiological condition, implying a more efficient grip function. Inter-individual variation is observed in the radioulnar orientation of the force experienced by the metacarpal bone, the fingertip force, and the strain patterns on the metacarpal shaft.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a new method for measuring force and strain experienced by the metacarpal, and fingertip force in cadaveric digits that can, in turn, inform computation models. Inter-individual variation in loads experienced by the third digit suggest that there are differences in joint contact and/or internal bone structure across individuals that are important to consider in clinical and evolutionary contexts.

Original language	English
Article number	e5480
Pages (from-to)	e5480
Journal	PeerJ
Volume	6
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5480
Publication status	Published - 2018

Keywords

Biomechanics
Force
Hand
Strain

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Neuroscience
General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

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10.7717/peerj.5480

Cite this

@article{a296caf6894e4e7bb41957996372ad9e,

title = "A novel experimental design for the measurement of metacarpal bone loading and deformation and fingertip force",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal and finite element modelling are often used to predict joint loading and bone strength within the human hand, but there is a lack of in vitro evidence of the force and strain experienced by hand bones.METHODS: This study presents a novel experimental setup that allows the positioning of a cadaveric digit in a variety of postures with the measurement of force and strain experienced by the third metacarpal. The setup allows for the measurement of fingertip force as well. We tested this experimental setup using three cadaveric human third digits in which the flexor tendons were loaded in two tendon pathways: (1) parallel to the metacarpal bone shaft, with bowstringing; (2) a semi-physiological condition in which the tendons were positioned closer to the bone shaft.RESULTS: There is substantial variation in metacarpal net force, metacarpal strain and fingertip force between the two tendon pathways. The net force acting on the metacarpal bone is oriented palmarly in the parallel tendon condition, causing tension along the dorsum of the metacarpal shaft, while the force increases and is oriented dorsally in the semi-physiological condition, causing compression of the dorsal metacarpal shaft. Fingertip force is also greater in the semi-physiological condition, implying a more efficient grip function. Inter-individual variation is observed in the radioulnar orientation of the force experienced by the metacarpal bone, the fingertip force, and the strain patterns on the metacarpal shaft.CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a new method for measuring force and strain experienced by the metacarpal, and fingertip force in cadaveric digits that can, in turn, inform computation models. Inter-individual variation in loads experienced by the third digit suggest that there are differences in joint contact and/or internal bone structure across individuals that are important to consider in clinical and evolutionary contexts.",

keywords = "Biomechanics, Force, Hand, Strain",

author = "Szu-Ching Lu and Vereecke, {Evie E} and Alexander Synek and Pahr, {Dieter H} and Kivell, {Tracy L}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank D. O'Connell, A. Brookman and H. Twyman from the Engineering Workshop, School of Engineering and Digital Arts, University of Kent for their help in developing the experimental system, and we thank C. Dunmore for his help in processing the computed tomography images. We also thank the medical students who helped prepare the cadaveric specimens at the Jan Palfijn Anatomy Lab (University of Leuven). We are grateful to the Editor and two anonymous reviewers for their thoughtful comments that improved this manuscript This research is supported by the European Research Council Starting Grant #336301 to T. L. Kivell, S.-C. Lu, A. Synek and D. H. Pahr. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 Lu et al.",

year = "2018",

doi = "10.7717/peerj.5480",

language = "English",

volume = "6",

pages = "e5480",

journal = "PeerJ",

issn = "2167-8359",

publisher = "PeerJ Inc.",

number = "9",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - A novel experimental design for the measurement of metacarpal bone loading and deformation and fingertip force

AU - Lu, Szu-Ching

AU - Vereecke, Evie E

AU - Synek, Alexander

AU - Pahr, Dieter H

AU - Kivell, Tracy L

N1 - Funding Information: We thank D. O'Connell, A. Brookman and H. Twyman from the Engineering Workshop, School of Engineering and Digital Arts, University of Kent for their help in developing the experimental system, and we thank C. Dunmore for his help in processing the computed tomography images. We also thank the medical students who helped prepare the cadaveric specimens at the Jan Palfijn Anatomy Lab (University of Leuven). We are grateful to the Editor and two anonymous reviewers for their thoughtful comments that improved this manuscript This research is supported by the European Research Council Starting Grant #336301 to T. L. Kivell, S.-C. Lu, A. Synek and D. H. Pahr. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript Publisher Copyright: © 2018 Lu et al.

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal and finite element modelling are often used to predict joint loading and bone strength within the human hand, but there is a lack of in vitro evidence of the force and strain experienced by hand bones.METHODS: This study presents a novel experimental setup that allows the positioning of a cadaveric digit in a variety of postures with the measurement of force and strain experienced by the third metacarpal. The setup allows for the measurement of fingertip force as well. We tested this experimental setup using three cadaveric human third digits in which the flexor tendons were loaded in two tendon pathways: (1) parallel to the metacarpal bone shaft, with bowstringing; (2) a semi-physiological condition in which the tendons were positioned closer to the bone shaft.RESULTS: There is substantial variation in metacarpal net force, metacarpal strain and fingertip force between the two tendon pathways. The net force acting on the metacarpal bone is oriented palmarly in the parallel tendon condition, causing tension along the dorsum of the metacarpal shaft, while the force increases and is oriented dorsally in the semi-physiological condition, causing compression of the dorsal metacarpal shaft. Fingertip force is also greater in the semi-physiological condition, implying a more efficient grip function. Inter-individual variation is observed in the radioulnar orientation of the force experienced by the metacarpal bone, the fingertip force, and the strain patterns on the metacarpal shaft.CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a new method for measuring force and strain experienced by the metacarpal, and fingertip force in cadaveric digits that can, in turn, inform computation models. Inter-individual variation in loads experienced by the third digit suggest that there are differences in joint contact and/or internal bone structure across individuals that are important to consider in clinical and evolutionary contexts.

AB - BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal and finite element modelling are often used to predict joint loading and bone strength within the human hand, but there is a lack of in vitro evidence of the force and strain experienced by hand bones.METHODS: This study presents a novel experimental setup that allows the positioning of a cadaveric digit in a variety of postures with the measurement of force and strain experienced by the third metacarpal. The setup allows for the measurement of fingertip force as well. We tested this experimental setup using three cadaveric human third digits in which the flexor tendons were loaded in two tendon pathways: (1) parallel to the metacarpal bone shaft, with bowstringing; (2) a semi-physiological condition in which the tendons were positioned closer to the bone shaft.RESULTS: There is substantial variation in metacarpal net force, metacarpal strain and fingertip force between the two tendon pathways. The net force acting on the metacarpal bone is oriented palmarly in the parallel tendon condition, causing tension along the dorsum of the metacarpal shaft, while the force increases and is oriented dorsally in the semi-physiological condition, causing compression of the dorsal metacarpal shaft. Fingertip force is also greater in the semi-physiological condition, implying a more efficient grip function. Inter-individual variation is observed in the radioulnar orientation of the force experienced by the metacarpal bone, the fingertip force, and the strain patterns on the metacarpal shaft.CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a new method for measuring force and strain experienced by the metacarpal, and fingertip force in cadaveric digits that can, in turn, inform computation models. Inter-individual variation in loads experienced by the third digit suggest that there are differences in joint contact and/or internal bone structure across individuals that are important to consider in clinical and evolutionary contexts.

KW - Biomechanics

KW - Force

KW - Hand

KW - Strain

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SN - 2167-8359

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ER -

A novel experimental design for the measurement of metacarpal bone loading and deformation and fingertip force

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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