Association of ligament mechanical properties and articular surface topography with trapeziometacarpal kinematics across osteoarthritis stages

Daniel Gordon; Shuchun Sun; Lizzie Walker; Nathan Buchweitz; Jichao Zhao; Eugene Mah; Claire Sumwalt; Jay Baek; Kiarra Blake-Wade; Nicholas Bain; Elizabeth Slate; Alexander Chiaramonti; Dane Daley; Hai Yao; Yongren Wu

doi:10.1016/j.joca.2025.10.019

Association of ligament mechanical properties and articular surface topography with trapeziometacarpal kinematics across osteoarthritis stages

Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2026 Jan;34(1):148-159. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2025.10.019. Epub 2025 Nov 4.

Authors

Daniel Gordon¹, Shuchun Sun², Lizzie Walker³, Nathan Buchweitz⁴, Jichao Zhao⁵, Eugene Mah⁶, Claire Sumwalt⁷, Jay Baek⁸, Kiarra Blake-Wade⁹, Nicholas Bain¹⁰, Elizabeth Slate¹¹, Alexander Chiaramonti¹², Dane Daley¹³, Hai Yao¹⁴, Yongren Wu¹⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA. Electronic address: digordo@clemson.edu.
² Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA. Electronic address: shuchus@clemson.edu.
³ Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA. Electronic address: mewlkr@clemson.edu.
⁴ Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA. Electronic address: nbuchwe@clemson.edu.
⁵ Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA. Electronic address: jichaoz@clemson.edu.
⁶ Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address: maheug@musc.edu.
⁷ Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA. Electronic address: cesumwa@clemson.edu.
⁸ Department of Orthopaedics and Physical Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address: baezj@musc.edu.
⁹ Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA. Electronic address: kblakew@clemson.edu.
¹⁰ Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA; Department of Orthopaedics and Physical Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address: njb203@musc.edu.
¹¹ Department of Statistics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA. Electronic address: slate@stat.fsu.edu.
¹² Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA. Electronic address: achiaram@wakehealth.edu.
¹³ Department of Orthopaedics and Physical Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address: dalda@musc.edu.
¹⁴ Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA; Department of Orthopaedics and Physical Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address: haiyao@clemson.edu.
¹⁵ Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA; Department of Orthopaedics and Physical Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address: yongren@clemson.edu.

PMID: 41197762
DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2025.10.019

Abstract

Objective: The trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joint, a common site of osteoarthritis (OA) in postmenopausal women, relies on ligamentous structures for stability due to minimal bony constraint. However, the role of ligamentous constraint in OA pathomechanics, specifically its relationship with joint kinematics and surface morphology across disease stages, remains poorly understood.

Method: Forty-six cadaveric female TMC joints across OA stages were analyzed. Articular surface topography was assessed via space distance, curvedness, congruence, and global curvature. Kinematics were recorded via 3D motion tracking of cadaveric hand tasks, examining first metacarpal motion. Ligament mechanical properties were quantified through stress-relaxation and pull-to-failure testing. Specimens were grouped using principal component analysis (PCA) and K-means clustering.

Results: Three clusters emerged: Cluster 1 (healthy bone, kinematics, ligament), Cluster 2 (mild surface remodeling, excess range-of-motion (ROM)/unstable kinematics, attenuated ligament), and Cluster 3 (remodeled surface, reduced ROM, degenerated ligament). Cluster analysis showed topographical changes, with reduced metacarpal ulnar-radial global curvature in Cluster 3. ROM increased from Cluster 1-2 and decreased significantly from Cluster 2-3. Ligament data revealed volar ligament complex (VLC) attenuation and minor dorsal radial ligament (DRL) attenuation from Cluster 1-2, and from Cluster 2-3.

Conclusions: This study suggests a relationship between ligament mechanics, articular surface topography, and joint kinematics. Clustering revealed links between VLC attenuation and kinematics in early OA. Age and Eaton-Littler classification captured late-stage topographic changes but was less sensitive to ligament mechanics and kinematics. Incorporating ligament mechanics and kinematics may reveal dysfunction missed by current grading systems.

Keywords: Carpometacarpal; Kinematics; Ligaments; Mechanical testing; Thumb; Topography; Trapeziometacarpal.

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Biomechanical Phenomena
Cadaver
Carpometacarpal Joints* / physiopathology
Female
Humans
Ligaments, Articular* / physiopathology
Middle Aged
Osteoarthritis* / diagnostic imaging
Osteoarthritis* / pathology
Osteoarthritis* / physiopathology
Range of Motion, Articular / physiology
Trapezium Bone* / physiopathology