A New Approach to Determine Ligament Strain Using Polydimethylsiloxane Strain Gauges: Exemplary Measurements of the Anterolateral Ligament

Abstract

A thorough understanding of ligament strains and behavior is necessary to create biomechanical models, comprehend trauma mechanisms, and surgically reconstruct those ligaments in a manner that restores a physiological performance. Measurement techniques and sensors are needed to conduct this data with high accuracy in an in vitro environment. In this work, we present a novel sensor device that is capable of continuously recording ligament strains with high resolution. The sensor principle of this biocompatible strain gauge may be used for in vitro measurements and can easily be applied to any ligament in the human body. The recently rediscovered anterolateral ligament (ALL) of the knee joint was chosen to display the capability of this novel sensor system. Three cadaver knees were tested to successfully demonstrate the concept of the sensor device and display first results regarding the elongation of the ALL during flexion/extension of the knee.