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Anatomy, Biomechanics, Work Physiology, and Anthropometry
Published in Stephan Konz, Steven Johnson, Work Design, 2018
Tendons, which transmit force from muscles to bones, have a very high modulus of elasticity (close to mild steel!) and very high tensile strength (45 to 125 N/m2). See Figure 2.19. Synovial sheaths, containing a lubricant called synovial fluid, often (but not always) surround the tough, ropelike tendon. A tendon in a sheath is like a wire in a soda straw. A strain is the tearing apart of tendon fibers (akin to fraying a rope). Tendinitis (also called tendonitis) is the inflammation of the tendon. Tenosynovitis (also called tendosynovitis, tendovaginitis, and peritendinitis) results when the sheath produces excessive synovial fluid, making the sheath swollen and painful. Tendons have virtually no blood supply, and thus, they heal very slowly. An inflammatory reaction may begin in the damaged tendon area. The inflamed tissue carries with it a blood supply for tendon repair, but it also has a nerve supply that can cause severe pain.
Hand-Transmitted Vibration
Published in Neil J. Mansfield, Human Response to Vibration, 2004
Occasionally, tendons or their synovial sheaths can become inflamed causing tendonitis or tenosynovitis, respectively. Conditions such as lateral epicondylitis (“tennis elbow”) or medial epicondylitis (“golfer’s elbow”) are common forms of tendonitis observed with users of tools. Similarly, tool users commonly exhibit painful swelling of the extensor tendon sheaths of the thumb (de Quervain’s disease) or the flexor tendons of the finger (“trigger finger”). As for other elements of HAVS, these conditions are unlikely to be directly caused by vibration but by other ergo-nomic factors (e.g., posture, manual handling) associated with the job.
Implantable medical devices for tendon and ligament repair: a review of patents and commercial products
Published in Expert Review of Medical Devices, 2022
Marco Civera, Ester Devietti Goggia, Matteo De Ros, Vito Burgio, Federica Bergamin, Mariana Rodriguez Reinoso, Cecilia Surace
Tendons and ligaments from different body regions have many similarities but some specific needs as well. For instance, many solutions valid for the Achilles tendon do not directly apply to the hand flexor tendons. These are defined by a very thin cross-section, a high extension capability, and non-straight movement [3]. Furthermore, unlike other tendons, these are inserted in a synovial sheath. Even among the hand flexor tendons, certain areas can be more challenging to be successfully treated than others, especially when considering how the anatomy of such tendons can change within the length of each finger. To keep a global standpoint on the topic, all these specificities will be omitted here and postponed for future work, more focused on the particular needs of the various body areas.