The effects of tibiafibularis anterior ligaments on ankle joint biomechanics

The aim of the present study is to examine the mechanical behavior of human ankle and its ligaments under constant force and to investigate the in-vitro, coupled, three-dimensional load–displacement and flexibility characteristics of the human ankle joint complex, and to determine the effects that sectioning of the anterior tibiafibular ligament has on these characteristics. According to the procedure of this study, external loads were applied vertically to five amputated material and its resulting three-dimensional displacements were recorded. The biomechanical tests were performed by using the axial compression testing machine (AG-I 10 kN, Shimadzu, Japan). The video extensometer markers were placed on medial side and lateral side of tibiafibularis anterior ligaments. The displacements between medial side and lateral side of tibiafibularis anterior ligaments were measured with two non-contact CCD camera extensometers (Non-contact Video Extensometer DVE-101/201, Shimadzu, Japan). The axial compression was applied to each amputee material with loading speed of 5 mm/min (max. 800 N). The load was applied to each specimen before and after the anterior tibiafibular ligament was sectioned and displacements values were evaluated and compared statistically. When we checked the statistical data, there were numerical differences although there was no significant change between non-operated legs and legs sectioned from anterior tibiafibular ligament ( p =0.209). In conclusion this study gives some numerical and biomechanical properties of the tibiafubularis anterior ligaments. This knowledge will be of help for the basic study of the ankle joint.