# Noninvasive assessment of in vivo tissue loads to enhance the treatment of gait disorders

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 2021 · $294,286

## Abstract

Abstract
The long-term goal of this research is to use in vivo muscle-tendon force measurements to enhance the
clinical treatment of gait disorders in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). We have recently shown that
the frequency at which a tendon vibrates is dependent on the applied stress. This phenomenon is
similar to the tension-dependent vibration seen in guitar strings. Vibration frequency reflects the speed
at which transverse, or shear, waves propagate. Hence, it may be feasible to monitor shear wave speed
in tendon as a proxy for tissue loading. This study will investigate the potential to measure and interpret
shear wave speeds in human tendons.
The initial two aims are designed to investigate the validity and robustness of the relationship between
shear wave speed and tendon loading. Skin-mounted tensiometers will be designed that induce and
track propagating shear waves of micron-scale amplitude. Cadaveric ankle-foot specimens will be tested
in aim 1. A robotic gait simulator will drive external foot and internal tendon loading to emulate human
walking. Tendon tensions and wave speeds will be simultaneously monitored. Human subjects will be
tested in Aim 2. Tensiometers positioned over superficial knee and ankle tendons will monitor wave
speeds while subjects perform isometric and isokinetic exertions. Data from aims 1 and 2 will be used to
investigate how subject- and tendon-specific geometry can modulate the relationship between tendon
wave speed and load. The final two aims will use tensiometers to measure shear wave speeds in the
superficial leg tendons during walking. Typically developing children will be tested in Aim 3 to establish
a normative database of wave speed patterns over a gait cycle. Individuals with CP who exhibit either
equinus (toe-walking) or crouch (flexed knee) will be tested in Aim 4. Tendon wave speed measures will
be obtained while subjects are undergoing a standard clinical gait analysis. We will explore clinical
utility by performing direct comparisons between shear wave speed data, joint kinetics, EMG signals
and clinical interpretations based on traditional gait analysis.
The anticipated outcome of this study is a ground-breaking approach to assess in vivo muscle-tendon
loads during both normal and pathological gait. Successful completion of the aims could lead to
enhanced diagnosis and outcomes assessment of gait disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10187614
- **Project number:** 5R01HD092697-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **Principal Investigator:** DARRYL G THELEN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $294,286
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-01 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10187614

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10187614, Noninvasive assessment of in vivo tissue loads to enhance the treatment of gait disorders (5R01HD092697-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10187614. Licensed CC0.

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