The effects of knee brace hinge design and placement on joint mechanics.
A computer model of 23 knees was obtained by embedding, slicing and digitizing the bone outlines and ligament co-ordinates. Using co-ordinate transformations, various three-dimensional motions were imposed on the knees, and calculations made of femoral-tibial contact error, contact point locations and ligament lengths. Significant deviations in these parameters were noted for abnormal motions including the elimination of internal-external rotation and a-p displacement and the misplacement of a hinge producing correct motion. The resulting mismatch could result in shear in soft tissues, cuff-to-skin slippage and inaccurate ligament length patterns.
Walker
P S
PS
Clinical Bioengineering, Veterans Administration Medical Centre, West Roxbury, MA.
Rovick
J S
JS
Robertson
D D
DD
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001915:Braces; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011474:Prosthesis Design