title: Biomechanics of the patello-femoral joint.
abstract: This paper presents a review of the biomechanics of the patello-femoral joint. The evolution of sagittal plane models of the joint from that of a simple pulley is explained. The importance of other biomechanical factors, such as the Q-angle and the cartilage structure, and their relationship to chondromalacia are also discussed. A hypothesis relating to collagen fibre orientation in cartilage is presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cox