Biochemically discrete zones of canine flexor tendon: evaluation of properties with a new photographic method.

We describe a photographic method that we have found useful for studying small strain fields within a larger zone of interest. We have used this method to document differences in material properties which correlate with zones of different biochemical makeup in the canine flexor digitorum profundus tendon. This method may be useful in analysis of experimental injury and wound healing in this model and may have application in evaluating material properties of soft tissue in other models as well.