A 6 DOF KNEE TESTING DEVICE TO DETERMINE PATELLAR TRACKING AND PATELLOFEMORAL JOINT CONTACT AREA VIA STEREOPHOTOGRAMMETRY

摘要

An accurate six degree-of-freedom (dof) knee testing device has been developed for determining in situ contact areas of knee joints loaded at physiologic levels. In addition to the knee rig, the system includes a high-accuracy 3-dimensional (3D) mechanical digitizer used in conjunction with stereophotogrammetry (SPG). The joint is loaded both in the axial direction and via its quadriceps musculature by pneumatic pistons which are under computer control. The loading is applied as a function of the flexion angle, which is also under computer control. The effects of various surgical procedures on the patellar tracking, and on the location and extent of the patellofemoral joint contact area can now be assessed with a high degree of precision.