Biomechanics of Fascia Lata - Uniaxial Tensile Test

Human Fascia Lata (FL) is a connective tissue with a multilayered organization also known as aponeurotic fascia. In each layer (usually two or three) the collagen fibers run in parallel directions, forming an angle between the layers that usually varies between 75° and 80°. Although it is a key structure in several musculoskeletal dysfunctions and in tissue engineering, the investigation of its biomechanics is still challenging as it is difficult to establish a bias-free experimental protocol. This thesis aims to analyze the biomechanical properties of FL ex vivo. The samples were collected from human donors and tested with uniaxial tensile tests in order to investigate the final strength and Young's modulus values ​​between different subjects / layers / directions. The results were analyzed with MATLAB 2021b (The MathWorks, Inc., Natick, Massachusetts, United States). The experimental outcomes show an anisotropic behavior even between different layers. These findings could potentially support surgeons in daily practice (such as graft preparation and placement), engineers in-silico simulation, physiotherapists during musculoskeletal rehabilitation, towards the management of a personalized medicine.