Mechanobiology and Physical Stress Theory

skin mechanoreceptors that feel and respond to skin stretching

Ruffini end organs

where does the Ruffini end organ transmit the stretch signal? why?

to the tendon, in order to cause a lengthening of the collagen fibers

cells that produce proteins in the tendon

fibroblasts

what links collagen fibers in the ECM to the cytoskeleton?

integrins

junctions that attach adjacent cells and allow for transfer of info

desmosomes, adhesions, gap junctions

transfer of signal from the skin down to the tendon cell level

mechanotransduction

what are the steps of mechanotransduction?

mechanical stimulus, tissue forces, cellular forces, molecular response

what is the force typically responded to in tendon tissues?

tension

proteins that span the cell membrane

integrins

how is a signal transduced from the membrane to the nucleus

direct physical connection or signaling cascades

what theory is mechanotransduction in the tendon and example of?

physical stress theory

what is physical stress?

force applies to an area of tissue

what defines the boundaries for effective doses of physical stress?

thresholds

what is necessary in order to cause adaption?

overload

do thresholds stay constant over time?

no, they change and dose must change accordingly

what does inflammation do to the set point oof thresholds?

decreases

new acronym for care of inflamed tissue

POLICE (protection, optimal loading, ice, compression, elevation)

key question as a PT

am I delivering the correct dose to produce the desired tissue response?