Measuring three-dimensional knee kinematics under torsional loading. 2009

A Hemmerich, and W van der Merwe, and C L Vaughan
Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Excessive knee joint laxity is often used as an indicator of joint disease or injury. Clinical assessment devices are currently limited to anterior-posterior drawer measurements, while tools used to measure movement in the remaining degrees of freedom are either invasive or prone to soft tissue artefact. The objective of this work was, therefore, to develop a methodology whereby in vivo knee joint kinematics could be measured in three dimensions under torsional loading while still maintaining a non-invasive procedure. A device designed to administer a subject-normalized torque in the transverse plane of the knee was securely fastened to the outer frame of an open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnet. Low resolution 3D T1-weighted images (6.25 mm slice thickness) were generated by the 0.2 Tesla MRI scanner in less than 3 min while the joint was under load. The 3D image volume was then shape-matched to a high resolution image volume (1.56 mm slice thickness) scanned in a no-load position. Three-dimensional rotations and translations of the tibia with respect to the femur were calculated by comparing the transformation matrices before and after torque was applied. Results from six subjects showed that this technique was repeatable over five trials with the knee in extended and flexed positions. Differences in range of rotation were shown between subjects and between knee positions, suggesting that this methodology has sufficient utility for further application in clinical studies.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007717 Knee A region of the lower extremity immediately surrounding and including the KNEE JOINT.
D008297 Male Males
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D001696 Biomechanical Phenomena The properties, processes, and behavior of biological systems under the action of mechanical forces. Biomechanics,Kinematics,Biomechanic Phenomena,Mechanobiological Phenomena,Biomechanic,Biomechanic Phenomenas,Phenomena, Biomechanic,Phenomena, Biomechanical,Phenomena, Mechanobiological,Phenomenas, Biomechanic
D013977 Tibia The second longest bone of the skeleton. It is located on the medial side of the lower leg, articulating with the FIBULA laterally, the TALUS distally, and the FEMUR proximally. Tibias
D016474 Weight-Bearing The physical state of supporting an applied load. This often refers to the weight-bearing bones or joints that support the body's weight, especially those in the spine, hip, knee, and foot. Load-Bearing,Axial Loading,Loadbearing,Weightbearing,Axial Loadings,Load Bearing,Weight Bearing
D054159 Torsion, Mechanical A twisting deformation of a solid body about an axis. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Torsional Force,Force, Torsional,Mechanical Torsion,Torsional Forces

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