Abstract
PurposeOsteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common pathological conditions to affect the human knee joint. In order to analyse the biomechanical causes and effects of OA, accessing the internal structures such as cartilage or the menisci directly is not possible. Therefore, computational models can be used to study the effects of OA on the stresses and strains in the joint and the susceptibility to deformations within the knee joint.MethodsIn this study, a three-dimensional finite element model of a knee complex was constructed using MRI scans. Medical image processing software was used to create accurate geometries of bones, articular cartilages, menisci, patella, patella tendon and all the relevant ligaments. Finally, a 3D model of OA knee joint was created with a few changes to the cartilage. The cartilage was thinned, and the material properties were altered in order to simulate OA in the joint. 3D gait measurements were analysed to define loading and boundary conditions.ResultsThe developed model analysed the possibility of osteoarthritis. It was shown that the medial regions of cartilage layers and menisci in the knee joint sustain higher values of stress for OA conditions, while for the healthy knee, the stresses are more evenly distributed across the cartilage in the medial and lateral regions.ConclusionThe results suggest that any treatment for knee osteoarthritis should focus more on the medial region of the tibiofemoral cartilage in order not to cause degradation.
Highlights
The knee is one of the most complex joints in the human body and is responsible for significant load bearing during human locomotion
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) were segmented as the three-dimensional structures of the knee ligaments that contribute to load transfer within the knee joint
The medial knee compartment is often associated with varus knee deformation, which consists of shifting of the mechanical axis and increased load bearing through the medial region, leading to increased severity and propagation of the disease
Summary
The knee is one of the most complex joints in the human body and is responsible for significant load bearing during human locomotion. It is responsible for supporting the body and is integral to human locomotion. It facilitates the flexion and extension of the lower limb in the sagittal plane. The cartilage and menisci sit inside a joint capsule composed of a fibrous tissue known as collagen, making the joint one of the most fragile in the body when considering the weight-bearing forces to which it is exposed.
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