Recent interest in better understanding the biomechanical behavior of the patellofemoral joint is driven, in part, by the frequency with which patellofemoral osteoarthritis is reported to occur in the general population. Abnormal joint-contact stress is believed to be one of the possible causes of cartilage degeneration and anterior knee pain [1]. A number of literature studies suggest that stair ascent is one of the most demanding daily activities in relation to patellofemoral joint loading [2]. Accurate measurement of in vivo kinematics is essential for a thorough understanding of patellofemoral function during weight-bearing activity [3]. In this study, an innovative experimental setup involving two synchronized single-plane X-ray fluoroscopy units, 3D motion capture, portable force plates, computed muscle forces and MRI-derived bone geometries were integrated to evaluate patellofemoral joint function in four healthy subjects during stair walking. Our specific aim was to quantify medial and lateral patellofemoral joint loading, joint pressure distribution, and cartilage pressure maps on a subject-specific basis.
展开▼
