Abstract #0259

Bader D, Nicolay K, Stekelenburg A, Oomens C, Strijkers G

Pressure ulcers represent a serious health and financial problem. Deep pressure ulcers often initiate in the muscle layer near bony prominences. A rat model was developed in which the tibialis anterior muscle was loaded with an indenter. In this study three MRI techniques and a finite element model were applied to this model in order to distinguish between the different factors that contribute to muscle damage during and after compressive loading. The importance of deformation was demonstrated by differences in response to compressive versus ischemic loading, and by a close correlation between location of damage and high shear strain.