A constitutive description of the anisotropic response of the fascia lata

F.Q Pancheri,C.M Eng,D.E Lieberman,A.A Biewener,L Dorfmann

doi:10.1016/j.jmbbm.2013.12.002

F.Q Pancheri, C.M Eng + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2013.12.002

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Abstract

In this paper we propose a constitutive model to analyze in-plane extension of goat fascia lata. We first perform a histological analysis of the fascia that shows a well-organized bi-layered arrangement of undulated collagen fascicles oriented along two well defined directions. To develop a model consistent with the tissue structure we identify the absolute and relative thickness of each layer and the orientation of the preferred directions. New data are presented showing the mechanical response in uniaxial and planar biaxial extension. The paper proposes a constitutive relation to describe the mechanical response. We provide a summary of the main ingredients of the nonlinear theory of elasticity and introduce a suitable strain-energy function to describe the anisotropic response of the fascia. We validate the model by showing good fit of the numerical results and the experimental data. Comments are included about differences and analogies between goat fascia lata and the human iliotibial band.

Highlights

Deep fascia is a type of connective tissue found throughout the body that encloses many muscles and connects them to each other and to bones
In the present study we develop a constitutive model of goat fascia lata, which assumes nonlinear elasticity and anisotropy
Fascia lata was dissected from the hindlimbs of five adult goats Capra hircus shortly after death and wrapped in cotton gauze soaked with 1× phosphate buffered saline (PBS)

Summary

Introduction

Deep fascia is a type of connective tissue found throughout the body that encloses many muscles and connects them to each other and to bones. Deep fascia has multiple connections to muscles and bones that generate complex non-homogeneous states of strain. The complex structure and loading environment of fascia may help explain why many current musculoskeletal models ignore its role in simulations of muscle function (see Tang et al (2009) and Lee et al (2010)). In an effort to address this deficiency, we describe here the mechanical properties of an example of a deep fascial structure, the fascia lata in the goat hind limb, using structurally-driven assumptions to capture and reproduce its anisotropic response measured during strain-controlled uniaxial and biaxial tension tests

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