3-D Knee Biomechanics

Author(s):  
Dumitru I. Caruntu

This is a survey on 3-D dynamic and quasi-static human knee joint modeling. Anatomical surface representation, contact modeling, ligament structure, and solution algorithm are reviewed. Understanding knee joint biomechanics is important for total knee replacement and rehabilitation exercise design, ligament reconstruction, and cartilage damage. Knee models were proposed mostly in the last two decades. They aimed normal activities and rehabilitation exercises, and sought muscle, ligament, and joint contact forces. Consisting of two joints, tibio-femoral (TF) and patello-femoral (PF), the human knee 3-D models were PF, TF [1–3], and both TF and PF [4–7]. Models were static, quasi-static, and dynamic, including the entire, partial, or none of the ligament structure. Contact models of the knee were rigid or deformable. Both natural knees and replacement models were reported. Different groups of muscles were considered.

Author(s):  
Dumitru I. Caruntu

This is a review paper on human knee joint biomechanics modeling. Dynamic models and quasi-static models reported lately in the literature are included in this survey. Anatomical surface representation, contact modeling, ligament structure, and solution algorithm of these models are reviewed.


2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiromichi Fujie ◽  
Takeshi Sekito ◽  
Akiyuki Orita

The objectives of the work reported in this article were to develop a novel 6-degree-of-freedom (DOF) robotic system for knee joint biomechanics, to complete a hybrid force-position control scheme, to evaluate the system performance, and to demonstrate a combined loading test. The manipulator of the system utilizes two mechanisms; the upper mechanism has two translational axes and three rotational axes while the lower mechanism has only a single translational axis. All axes were driven with AC servo-motors. This unique configuration results in a simple kinematic description of manipulator motion. Jacobian transformation was used to calculate both the displacement and force/moment, which allowed for a hybrid control of the displacement of, and force/moment applied to, the human knee joint. The control and data acquisition were performed on a personal computer in the C-language programming environment with a multi-tasking operating system. Preliminary tests revealed that the clamp-to-clamp compliance of the system was smaller in the vertical (Z) and longitudinal (Y) directions (0.001 mm/N) than in lateral (X) direction (0.003 mm/N). The displacement error under the application of 500 N of load was smallest in the vertical direction (0.001±0.003 mm (mean±SD), and largest in the lateral direction (0.084±0.027 mm). Using this test system, it was possible to simulate multiple loading conditions in a human knee joint in which a cyclic anterior force was applied together with a coupled, joint compressive force, while allowing natural knee motion. The developed system seems to be a useful tool for studies of knee joint biomechanics.


Author(s):  
Yaghoub Dabiri ◽  
LePing Li

The mechanical response of the knee joint has been simulated using finite element methods with elastic material models [1–4]. Fluid pressurization in articular cartilage and menisci has not been considered in the anatomically accurate joint modeling until recently [5–7]. We have recently considered stress relaxation and creep behavior of human knees. The objective of the present study was to investigate the mechanics of the femoral cartilage under cyclical knee compression. We are particularly interested in the determination of loading versus unloading patterns for the fluid pressure and flow, as well as the influence of the loading frequency on the fluid pressurization.


Author(s):  
M Machado ◽  
P Flores ◽  
J Ambrosio ◽  
A Completo

The goal of this work is to study the influence of the contact force model, contact geometry, and contact material properties on the dynamic response of a human knee joint model. For this purpose, a multibody knee model composed by two rigid bodies, the femur and the tibia, and four non-linear spring elements that represent the main knee ligaments, is considered. The contact force models used were the Hertz, the Hunt–Crossley, and the Lankarani–Nikravesh approaches. Results obtained from computational simulations show that Hertz law is less suitable to describe the dynamic response of the cartilage contact, because this pure elastic model does not account for the viscoelastic nature of the human articulations. Since knee can exhibit conformal and non-conformal contact scenarios, three different geometrical configurations for femur–tibia contact are considered, that is convex–convex sphere contact, convex–concave sphere contact, and convex sphere–plane contact. The highest level of contact forces is obtained for the case of convex–convex sphere contact. As far as the influence of the material contact properties is concerned, the dynamic response of a healthy and natural knee is analysed and compared with three pathological and two artificial knee models. The obtained results demonstrate that the presence of the cartilage reduces significantly the knee contact forces.


2014 ◽  
Vol 601 ◽  
pp. 147-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Tarniţă ◽  
Marius Catana ◽  
Dan Nicolae Tarnita

The paper presents a complex three-dimensional model of the human knee joint, containing bones, ligaments, menisci, tibial and femoral cartilages. To investigate the role of the articular cartilage in the developing of the osteoarthritis, to analyze and simulate the biomechanical behavior of the human knee joint, a finite element analysis was performed. The non-linearities are due to the presence of the contact elements modeled between components surfaces and to the nonlinear properties of the cartilage, applying a load of 800 N and 1500 N, for 0o in flexion. The results show that misalignment (valgus variation) could damage the articular cartilage because they increase the stress magnitude, that progressively produce articular cartilage damage and it enhances the osteoarthritis phenomenon due to mechanical factors. The displacements and the Von Mises stress distributions on the cartilage and menisci for the virtual prototype, considering an angle of 10 degrees for valgus, are presented. The obtained values are comparable with the values obtained by other authors.


Author(s):  
Nitin Kumar Sahu ◽  
Ajay Kumar Kaviti

The human knee joint is very critical and complex joint of human body which is responsible for our optimal daily functions. It consists of various bones – femur, tibia, patella, fibula, different ligaments, cartilages, menisci and muscles. FEM is a very useful tool for the analysis of knee joint and various knee replacement products. In the knee replacement surgery a proper understanding of knee joint biomechanics is essential. Because of certain limitations of experimental studies, FEM analysis process is playing a significance role for prominent understanding of knee biomechanics and produced an effective and impressive tool for total knee replacement (TKR/TKA) or partial knee replacement (PKR/PKA). The aim of this paper is to give a review on FEM analysis of human knee joint and knee prosthesis devices and how much adequate this method for these type of analysis.


Author(s):  
Margarida Machado ◽  
Paulo Flores

The goal of this work is to study the influence of the contact force model and contact material properties on the dynamic response of a human knee joint. For this purpose, a multibody knee model composed by two rigid bodies, the femur and the tibia, and four nonlinear spring elements that represent the main knee ligaments, is considered. The contact geometrical profiles are extracted from medical images and fitted using spline functions. The tibia motions are modeled, not using a conventional kinematic joint, but rather in terms of the action of the ligaments and potential contact between the bones. Besides, an external force is applied on the center of mass of the tibia in order to simulate the force of the quadriceps muscle group. When a contact is detected, a continuous contact force law is applied. The contact force laws studied are the Hertz, the Hunt-Crossley and the Lankarani-Nikravesh models. Results obtained from computational simulations show that Hertz law is less suitable to describe the dynamic response of the cartilage contact, because this pure elastic model does not account for the viscoelastic nature of the human articulations. Moreover, the effect of the amplitude of the external applied force on the dynamic response of the knee joint model is also evaluated. The obtained results show that the increase of the amplitude of the external applied force increases the contact indentations and lead to an earlier first impact. As far as to the influence of the material contact properties is concerned, the dynamic response of a healthy and natural knee is analyzed and compared with three pathological and two artificial knee models. Results demonstrate that the presence of the cartilage reduces significantly the knee contact forces.


2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Gu ◽  
Marcus G. Pandy

Abstract The primary aim of this study was to validate predictions of human knee-joint contact mechanics (specifically, contact pressure, contact area, and contact force) derived from finite-element models of the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints against corresponding measurements obtained in vitro during simulated weight-bearing activity. A secondary aim was to perform sensitivity analyses of the model calculations to identify those parameters that most significantly affect model predictions of joint contact pressure, area, and force. Joint pressures in the medial and lateral compartments of the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints were measured in vitro during two simulated weight-bearing activities: stair descent and squatting. Model-predicted joint contact pressure distribution maps were consistent with those obtained from experiment. Normalized root-mean-square errors between the measured and calculated contact variables were on the order of 15%. Pearson correlations between the time histories of model-predicted and measured contact variables were generally above 0.8. Mean errors in the calculated center-of-pressure locations were 3.1 mm for the tibiofemoral joint and 2.1 mm for the patellofemoral joint. Model predictions of joint contact mechanics were most sensitive to changes in the material properties and geometry of the meniscus and cartilage, particularly estimates of peak contact pressure. The validated finite element modeling framework offers a useful tool for noninvasive determination of knee-joint contact mechanics during dynamic activity under physiological loading conditions.


2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-137
Author(s):  
G. Fekete ◽  
B. Csizmadia ◽  
P. De Baets ◽  
M.A. Wahab

In the surgical process of total knee replacement (TKR), it is well known that the three types of failureswhich are; a) unable to reproduce normal knee function, b) bone-implant interface failure c) wear duringuse. These failures are certainly due to the motion and the load that influence the prosthesis components.In this study, the modelling questions of the human knee joint will be discussed in relation only to themultibody dynamics models. Firstly, a summary is presented about the relevant literature, where themodels with their different features are presented and evaluated. The existing models are mainly focusedon the investigation of the ligaments (linear of non-linear properties), the description of the contact path,and contact forces during the motion, kinematics (rotation, abduction and adduction) and even the wearmechanism of the knee joint. The primal advantages of the multibody dynamics models are the easyadaptability in the mechanical parameters to carry out simulations and the connection with CAE programsthat helps the design of new prostheses. A new multibody model is also presented by the authors.


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