Mechanical and possible auxetic properties of human Achilles tendon during in vitro testing to failure

Abstract

The Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in the human body, but the basis of its high tensile strength has not been elucidated in detail. Here we have loaded healthy, human, Achilles tendons to failure in an anatomically authentic fashion while studying the local three-dimensional deformation and strains in real time, with very high precision, using digital image correlation (DIC). These studies identified a remarkable degree of anisotropic, medio-lateral auxetic behavior, with Poissons ratios not exceeding minus 1 in any part of the tendon at any time; under certain loads, discrete areas within the tendon had a Poissons ratio below minus 6. Early in the loading cycle, the proximal region of the tendon accumulated high lateral strains while longitudinal strains remained low. This behavior shielded the mid-substance of the tendon, its weakest part, from high longitudinal strains until immediately before rupture. These new insights are of great relevance to understanding the material basis of tendon injuries, designing improved prosthetic replacements, and developing regenerative strategies.