Characterization of a Biomechanical Animal Model for Intact Knee Kinematics and ACL Function Using 6-DOF Robotic Technology
Anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL) affects an estimated 250,000 people annually [1]. Unfortunately, even with ACL reconstruction, the likely prognosis is long-term osteoarthritis (OA) [2]. Many strides have been made in attempting to understand and improve this outcome. The use of robotic technology has provided an avenue for researchers to examine the ACL’s role in knee joint stability in all six anatomical degrees of freedom (DOF) [3]. The overall goal of our lab robotics research is to use this technology to understand ACL function during activities of daily living (ADLs) in hopes of developing a biomechanical animal model which can be used as a preclinical tool to design new repair methods and materials. We have examined three species (ovine, porcine, and human), measuring all forces and moments produced from displacement control motion paths developed for cyclic testing in a robotic system (KUKA; KR210). This information will provide a basis for comparing intact knee biomechanics and ACL function across species. With these robotic inputs, we have performed a series of studies to aid in the development of a biomechanical model of the human knee.