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Timely, recent developments in X-ray microcomputed tomography (XμCT) imaging such as increased resolution and improved sample preparation enable nondestructive time-lapse imaging of polymeric biomaterials when implanted in soft tissue, which we demonstrate herein. Imaging the full three-dimensional (3D) structure of an implanted biomaterial provides new opportunities to assess the micromechanics of the interface between the implant and tissues and how this changes over time as force is applied in load-bearing musculoskeletal applications. In this paper, we present a case study demonstrating in situ XμCT and finite element analysis, using a dynamically loaded barbed suture repair for its novel use in tendon tissue. The aim of this study was to identify the distribution of stress in the suture and tendon as load is applied. The data gained demonstrate a clear 3D visualization of microscale features in both …