title: The mechanical properties of articular cartilage.
abstract: An outline of a theoretical model for the mechanical behavior of articular cartilage is presented. The model explicitly describes the pressures and flows generated in the interstitial fluid during loading and deformation. A number of experimental tests to measure the mechanical properties of cartilage are available. The interpretation of these test results in the light of this model and the important factors to consider in the design of experiments are reviewed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D008954:Models, Biological; D011312:Pressure; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000502:physiology