Biomechanics; Bone; Fatigue testing; Fracture; Internal fixation; LCP; Medial plate; Tibia

The focus of the article is the biomechanical analysis of new locking compression medial plates. These types of plates are used in orthopedics and traumatology for internal fixation of fractures of the distal tibia. Low-cycle fatigue analyses were performed by repeated axial loading for non-fused bone with complicated comminuted fractures in the distal metaphysis. This type of fracture represents an extreme situation, where all loads between two fragments of the broken bones are carried by the plate. It is also essential to perform fatigue tests before clinical application in hospitals. From the results of the tests, the durability, loadings and fatigue crack parameters were determined and a reliability assessment was performed.