title: Clinically relevant biomechanics of the knee capsule and ligaments.
abstract: The paper describes the concepts of primary and secondary restraints to knee joint stability and explains systematically how the tibia is stabilised against translational forces and rotational torques in different directions and axes, and how those vary across the arc of flexion-extension. It also shows how the menisci act to stabilise the knee, in addition to load carrying across the joint. It compares the properties of the natural stabilising structures with the strength and stiffness of autogenous tissue grafts and relates those strengths to the strength of graft fixation devices. A good understanding of the biomechanical behaviour of these various structures in the knee will help the surgeon in the assessment and treatment of single and multi-ligament injuries.
authors.affiliation: The Biomechanics Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK. c.halewood@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Halewood
authors.affiliation: The Biomechanics Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.|The Musculoskeletal Lab, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, W6 8RP, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Amis
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000503:physiopathology; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Biomechanics; Knee; Ligaments; Stability