The study of the knee natural motion, namely the unresisted motion that the knee exhibits in the absence of external loads, provides insights into the physiology of this articulation. The natural motion represents the baseline condition upon which deformations of its passive structures (i.e., ligaments and cartilage) take place when loads are applied. Moreover, during natural motion, the strain energy density stored within ligaments and cartilage is minimized. This reduces the chance of microdamage occurrences and the corresponding metabolic cost for tissue repairing. The study of the knee natural motion is thus fundamental in understanding the joint physiology. This paper shows that the line of action of resultant forces of all the knee constraints provided by the passive structures must intersect the instantaneous helical axis (IHA) to make the knee natural motion possible. In other words, the lines of action of all these constraints must cross the same line at each flexion angle to guarantee the natural motion of the joint. This geometrical property is first proven theoretically and then verified in four in vitro and one in vivo experiments. The geometrical characterization of the knee natural motion presented in this study provides a fundamental property that must be satisfied to allow the correct joint mobility. The knowledge of this property may thus allow the definition of better models, treatments, and devices.
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May 2019
Research-Article
The Geometrical Arrangement of Knee Constraints That Makes Natural Motion Possible: Theoretical and Experimental Analysis
Michele Conconi,
Michele Conconi
DIN—Department of Industrial Engineering,
Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna,
Viale Risorgimento 2,
Bologna 40136, Italy
e-mail: michele.conconi@unibo.it
Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna,
Viale Risorgimento 2,
Bologna 40136, Italy
e-mail: michele.conconi@unibo.it
1Corresponding author.
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Nicola Sancisi,
Nicola Sancisi
DIN—Department of Industrial Engineering,
Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna,
Viale Risorgimento 2,
Bologna 40136, Italy
e-mail: nicola.sancisi@unibo.it
Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna,
Viale Risorgimento 2,
Bologna 40136, Italy
e-mail: nicola.sancisi@unibo.it
Search for other works by this author on:
Vincenzo Parenti-Castelli
Vincenzo Parenti-Castelli
DIN—Department of Industrial Engineering,
Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna,
Viale Risorgimento 2,
Bologna 40136, Italy
e-mail: vincenzo.parenti@unibo.it
Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna,
Viale Risorgimento 2,
Bologna 40136, Italy
e-mail: vincenzo.parenti@unibo.it
Search for other works by this author on:
Michele Conconi
DIN—Department of Industrial Engineering,
Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna,
Viale Risorgimento 2,
Bologna 40136, Italy
e-mail: michele.conconi@unibo.it
Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna,
Viale Risorgimento 2,
Bologna 40136, Italy
e-mail: michele.conconi@unibo.it
Nicola Sancisi
DIN—Department of Industrial Engineering,
Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna,
Viale Risorgimento 2,
Bologna 40136, Italy
e-mail: nicola.sancisi@unibo.it
Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna,
Viale Risorgimento 2,
Bologna 40136, Italy
e-mail: nicola.sancisi@unibo.it
Vincenzo Parenti-Castelli
DIN—Department of Industrial Engineering,
Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna,
Viale Risorgimento 2,
Bologna 40136, Italy
e-mail: vincenzo.parenti@unibo.it
Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna,
Viale Risorgimento 2,
Bologna 40136, Italy
e-mail: vincenzo.parenti@unibo.it
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received January 18, 2018; final manuscript received February 21, 2019; published online March 25, 2019. Assoc. Editor: Beth A. Winkelstein.
J Biomech Eng. May 2019, 141(5): 051001 (6 pages)
Published Online: March 25, 2019
Article history
Received:
January 18, 2018
Revised:
February 21, 2019
Citation
Conconi, M., Sancisi, N., and Parenti-Castelli, V. (March 25, 2019). "The Geometrical Arrangement of Knee Constraints That Makes Natural Motion Possible: Theoretical and Experimental Analysis." ASME. J Biomech Eng. May 2019; 141(5): 051001. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4043028
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