The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is one of the most commonly injured ligaments of the knee. These injuries can lead to gross joint instability as the MCL provides a primary constraint against valgus rotation and external tibial rotation. This structure experiences extreme variation in strain as a function of spatial position within the ligament and joint position. However, there are conflicting reports in the research literature as to in what configurations the structure is most vulnerable to injury. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of knee flexion angle on the in situ stresses and strains in the human MCL during valgus rotation. This was performed experimentally and through a corresponding computational model of the femur-MCL-tibia.
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