Investigating viscoelastic behavior of soft orthopedic tissues in degenerative joint disease and repair with Speckle rHEologicAl micRoscopy (SHEAR)

Orthopedic tissues are susceptible to degenerative mechanical transformations that are associated with functional deficits. These tissues rely on the combination of solid and fluid tissue constituents for healthy function, motivating a comprehensive study of not only the elastic (solid-like) but also viscous (fluid-like) behaviors of orthopedic tissues and their roles in degeneration and repair. We implement Speckle rHEologicAl micRoscopy (SHEAR), an emerging all-optical, noncontact tool for probing tissue micromechanics, to investigate elastic and viscous behaviors of soft orthopedic tissues in both healthy and disease states, following knee injury in a swine model and in osteoarthritis in patients.