2 - Biomechanics of human and artificial joints

Abstract

This chapter is composed of six sections: 2.1 Importance of biomechanics in human and artificial joints, 2.2 Anatomy and kinematics of human joints, 2.3 Loads in human joints, 2.4 Importance of kinematics in human joints, 2.5 Importance of alignment in human joints, and 2.6 Biomechanics in artificial joints. First, the anatomy and kinematics/motion of synovial joints are described from the viewpoint of biomechanics. Next, the estimation of the loads in human joints by static and dynamic analyses is described. Loading patterns of joint forces during walking in hip and knee joints are introduced. Kinematic feature of rolling with sliding in tibiofemoral knee joint and the importance of alignment in lower limb are shown. The difference in contact conditions between hard-on-hard and hard-on-soft hip prostheses, in vivo measurement of total knee prostheses by single-plane fluoroscopy, and the reproduction of physiological and active knee motion in novel knee simulator are discussed.