The knee joint is a key structure of the human locomotor system. The
knowledge of how each single anatomical structure of the knee contributes
to determine the physiological function of the knee, is of fundamental
importance for the development of new prostheses and novel clinical,
surgical, and rehabilitative procedures. In this context, a modelling approach
is necessary to estimate the biomechanic function of each anatomical
structure during daily living activities.
The main aim of this study was to obtain a subject-specific model of the
knee joint of a selected healthy subject. In particular, 3D models of the
cruciate ligaments and of the tibio-femoral articular contact were proposed
and developed using accurate bony geometries and kinematics reliably
recorded by means of nuclear magnetic resonance and 3D video-fluoroscopy
from the selected subject.
Regarding the model of the cruciate ligaments, each ligament was
modelled with 25 linear-elastic elements paying particular attention to the
anatomical twisting of the fibres. The devised model was as subject-specific
as possible. The geometrical parameters were directly estimated from the
experimental measurements, whereas the only mechanical parameter of the
model, the elastic modulus, had to be considered from the literature because
of the invasiveness of the needed measurements. Thus, the developed model
was employed for simulations of stability tests and during living activities.
Physiologically meaningful results were always obtained. Nevertheless, the
lack of subject-specific mechanical characterization induced to design and
partially develop a novel experimental method to characterize the mechanics
of the human cruciate ligaments in living healthy subjects.
Moreover, using the same subject-specific data, the tibio-femoral articular
interaction was modelled investigating the location of the contact point
during the execution of daily motor tasks and the contact area at the full
extension with and without the whole body weight of the subject. Two
different approaches were implemented and their efficiency was evaluated.
Thus, pros and cons of each approach were discussed in order to suggest
future improvements of this methodologies.
The final results of this study will contribute to produce useful
methodologies for the investigation of the in-vivo function and pathology of
the knee joint during the execution of daily living activities. Thus, the
developed methodologies will be useful tools for the development of new
prostheses, tools and procedures both in research field and in diagnostic,
surgical and rehabilitative fields.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unibo.it/oai:amsdottorato.cib.unibo.it:671 |
| Date | 18 April 2008 |
| Creators | Bertozzi, Luigi <1980> |
| Contributors | Cappello, Angelo |
| Publisher | Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna |
| Source Sets | Università di Bologna |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Doctoral Thesis, PeerReviewed |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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