Tendon also have a role in the tensile properties of tendon. The structure of tendon is effectively a fibre composite material, built as a series of hierarchical levels. At each level of the hierarchy, the collagen units are bound together by either collagen crosslinks, or the proteoglycans, to create a structure highly resistant to tensile load. The elongation and the strain of the collagen fibrils alone have been shown to be much lower than the total elongation and strain of the entire tendon under the same amount of stress, demonstrating that the proteoglycan-rich matrix must also undergo deformation, and stiffening of
Patellar tendon rupture weakness after the injury and repair. If the tendon rupture is a partial tear (without the two parts of the tendon being separated) then non-surgical methods of treatment may suffice. The future of non-surgical care for partial patella tendon ruptures is likely bioengineering. Ligament reconstruction is possible using mesenchymal stem cells and a silk scaffold. These same stem cells have been shown to be capable of seeding repair of damaged animal tendons. In 2010, a clinical study proved that mechanical loading of the tendon callus during the remodelling phase leads to healing by regeneration. Patellar tendon rupture Patellar tendon rupture