Search

Measuring joint kinematics is a key requirement for a plethora of biomechanical research and applications. While x-ray based systems avoid the soft-tissue artefacts arising in skinbased measurement systems, extracting the object's pose (translation and rotation) from the x-ray images is a time-consuming and expensive task. Based on about 106'000 annotated images of knee implants, collected over the last decade with our moving fluoroscope during activities of daily living, we trained a deep-learning model to automatically estimate the 6D poses for the femoral and tibial implant components. By pretraining a single stage of our architecture using renderings of the implant geometries, our approach offers personalised predictions of the implant poses, even for unseen subjects. Our approach predicted the pose of both implant components better than about 0.75 mm (in-plane translation), 25 mm (out-of-plane translation), and 2° (all Euler-angle rotations) over 50% of the test samples. When evaluating over 90% of test samples, which included heavy occlusions and low contrast images, translation performance was better than 1.5 mm (in-plane) and 30 mm (out-ofplane), while rotations were predicted better than 3-4°. Importantly, this approach now allows for pose estimation in a fully automated manner., PLoS ONE, 17 (6 6), ISSN:1932-6203

Hip osteoarthritis may be caused by increased or abnormal intra-articular forces, which are known to be related to structural articular cartilage damage. Femoral torsional deformities have previously been correlated with hip pain and labral damage, and they may contribute to the onset of hip osteoarthritis by exacerbating the effects of existing pathoanatomies, such as cam and pincer morphologies. A comprehensive understanding of the influence of femoral morphotypes on hip joint loading requires subject-specific morphometric and biomechanical data on the movement characteristics of individuals exhibiting varying degrees of femoral torsion. The aim of this study was to evaluate hip kinematics and kinetics as well as muscle and joint loads during gait in a group of adult subjects presenting a heterogeneous range of femoral torsion by means of personalized musculoskeletal models. Thirty-seven healthy volunteers underwent a 3D gait analysis at a self-selected walking speed. Femoral torsion was evaluated with low-dosage biplanar radiography. The collected motion capture data were used as input for an inverse dynamics analysis. Personalized musculoskeletal models were created by including femoral geometries that matched each subject’s radiographically measured femoral torsion. Correlations between femoral torsion and hip kinematics and kinetics, hip contact forces (HCFs), and muscle forces were analyzed. Within the investigated cohort, higher femoral antetorsion led to significantly higher anteromedial HCFs during gait (medial during loaded stance phase and anterior during swing phase). Most of the loads during gait are transmitted through the anterior/superolateral quadrant of the acetabulum. Correlations with hip kinematics and muscle forces were also observed. Femoral antetorsion, through altered kinematic strategies and different muscle activations and forces, may therefore lead to altered joint mechanics and pose a risk for articular damage. The method proposed in this study, which accounts for both morphological and kinematic characteristics, might help in identifying in a clinical setting patients who, as a consequence of altered femoral torsional alignment, present more severe functional impairments and altered joint mechanics and are therefore at a higher risk for cartilage damage and early onset of hip osteoarthritis., Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 9, ISSN:2296-4185

The purpose of this study was to develop a motion analysis protocol that allows the simultaneous assessment of all hand and finger joint movements. The objective was to demonstrate repeatability for future clinical applications in functional assessments. This study includes selection of marker positions, movement tasks, kinematic approaches and a comparison of the two most commonly used finger marker sets. By using a test&ndash, retest measurement of the range of motion in twenty healthy volunteers, the repeatability of the developed protocol was validated. Estimated errors of the presented method ranged from 1.2&deg, to 6.4&deg, Finger joint angles derived from the marker set with two markers per segment showed better repeatability (3.7&deg, ) than with markers located on the joints (5.1&deg, ). Given the high repeatability found, the presented method appears to be suitable for clinical applications. For the fingers, measurement repeatability can be improved by using at least two markers per segment. Within this study, advanced kinematic approaches, such as functional determination of joint centers and axes, are applied to the analysis of hand movements. The provided standard values and estimate of the minimal detectable differences provide a valuable basis for meaningful data interpretation and may be used for future comparison with other protocols.

This study aimed to understand the ability of fixed-bearing posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)-retaining implants to maintain functionality of the PCL in vivo. To achieve this, elongation of the PCL was examined in six subjects with good clinical and functional outcomes using 3D kinematics reconstructed from video-fluoroscopy, together with multibody modelling of the knee. Here, length-change patterns of the ligament bundles were tracked throughout complete cycles of level walking and stair descent. Throughout both activities, elongation of the anterolateral bundle exhibited a flexion-dependent pattern with more stretching during swing than stance phase (e.g., at 40 degrees flexion, anterolateral bundle experienced 3.9% strain during stance and 9.1% during swing phase of stair descent). The posteromedial bundle remained shorter than its reference length (defined at heel strike of the level gait cycle) during both activities. Compared with loading patterns of the healthy ligament, postoperative elongation patterns indicate a slackening of the ligament at early flexion followed by peak ligament lengths at considerably smaller flexion angles. The reported data provide a novel insight into in vivo PCL function during activities of daily living that has not been captured previously. The findings support previous investigations reporting difficulties in achieving a balanced tension in the retained PCL., Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9 (7), ISSN:2077-0383

The primary aim of this study was to assess the effects of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) implant design on collateral ligament elongation patterns that occur during level walking, downhill walking, and stair descent. Using a moving fluoroscope, tibiofemoral kinematics were captured in three groups of patients with different TKA implant designs, including posterior stabilized, medial stabilized, and ultra-congruent. The 3D in vivo joint kinematics were then fed into multibody models of the replaced knees and elongation patterns of virtual bundles connecting origin and insertion points of the medial and lateral collateral ligaments (MCL and LCL) were determined throughout complete cycles of all activities. Regardless of the implant design and activity type, non-isometric behavior of the collateral ligaments was observed. The LCL shortened with increasing knee flexion, while the MCL elongation demonstrated regional variability, ranging from lengthening of the anterior bundle to slackening of the posterior bundle. The implant component design did not demonstrate statistically significant effects on the collateral elongation patterns and this was consistent between the studied activities. This study revealed that post-TKA collateral ligament elongation is primarily determined by the knee flexion angle. The different anterior translation and internal rotation that were induced by three distinctive implant designs had minimal impact on the length change patterns of the collateral ligaments., Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 7, ISSN:2296-4185

Background: Internal and external rotation exercises of the shoulder are frequently performed to avoid injury and pain. Knowledge about the motion and loadings of the upper extremities during these exercises is crucial for the development of optimal training recommendations. However, a comparison of the angles and corresponding moments in the upper extremities that are achieved during internal and external rotation exercises for the shoulder by using different resistance types has not yet been performed. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine upper extremity kinetics and kinematics in 3D of the internal and external rotation exercises. Methods: The kinematics and kinetics of 12 participants while they performed 10 different exercises with a constant and with an elastic external load corresponding to 2% body mass was assessed. The motion of the upper extremities was recorded three-dimensionally with a motion capture system, using a newly developed marker set and joint coordinate systems with 28 markers. The applied external load was measured with a load cell placed in series with the external resistance, and moments were calculated using an inverse dynamics approach. Results: The range of motion and the joint loading was highly dependent on the exercises. The range of motion in the glenohumeral joint did not differ significantly between the two resistance types, whereas internal/external rotation moments were significantly higher with constant resistance than those with elastic resistance. Conclusions: Larger or lower moments can, therefore, be achieved through selection of the appropriate resistance type, while the range of motion can be altered through the selection of exercise type. Therefore, the loading motion patterns identified in this study can help to choose suitable shoulder exercises dependent on the training objective., BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 28 (10), ISSN:2052-1847

Description of the coordinate systems. Definition of the segmental coordinate system and the joint coordinate centers. (PDF 161 kb)

Figure S3. Averaged values of the knee moment in the frontal plane [Nm/Kg] as a function of the knee adduction angle [°] in the experienced cohort with the wooden bar (e) and with extra load on the barbell (e+) for all nine positions. (PDF 189 kb)

Figure S2. Averaged values of the knee moment in the sagittal plane [Nm/Kg] as a function of the knee flexion angle [°] in the experienced cohort with the wooden bar (e) and with extra load on the barbell (e+) for all nine positions. (PDF 176 kb)

Figure S1. Averaged values of the hip moment in the sagittal plane [Nm/Kg] as a function of the hip flexion angle [°] in the experienced cohort with the wooden bar (e) and with extra load on the barbell (e+) for all nine positions. (PDF 181 kb)

Table S1. Basic motion tasks. Tables S2. and S3. Fixed effects coefficients and standard error. Table S4. Random effects coefficients and standard error. (PDF 224 kb)

Video-fluoroscopic analysis can provide important insights for the evaluation of outcome and functionality after total knee arthroplasty, allowing the in vivo assessment of tibiofemoral kinematics without soft tissue artefacts. To enable measurement of the knee throughout activities of daily living such as gait, robotic systems like the moving fluoroscope have been developed that follow the knee movement and maintain the joint in front of the image intensifier. Since it is unclear whether walking while being accompanied by moving fluoroscope affects normal gait, the objective of this study was to investigate its influence on gait characteristics in healthy subjects. In addition, the impact of the motors’ noise was analysed. By means of skin markers analysis (VICON MX system, Oxford Metrics Group, UK) and simultaneous measurement of ground reaction forces (Kistler force plates, Kistler, Switzerland), gait characteristics when walking with and without the moving fluoroscope as well as with and without ear protectors in combination with the moving fluoroscope, were obtained in young (n = 10, 24.5y ± 3.0y) and elderly (n = 9, 61.6y ± 5.3y) subjects during level gait and stair descent. Walking with the moving fluoroscope significantly decreased gait velocity in level gait and stair descent over the respective movement without the fluoroscope. Statistical analysis, including gait velocity as a covariate, resulted in no differences on the ground reaction force parameters. However, some kinematic parameters (ankle, knee and hip ranges of motion, minimal knee angle in late stance phase, maximal knee angles in stance and swing phase) seemed to be modified by the presence of the moving fluoroscope, but statistical comparison was limited due to velocity differences between the conditions. Wearing ear protectors to avoid the influence of motor sound during walking with the moving fluoroscope caused no significant difference. Walking with the moving fluoroscope has been shown to decrease gait velocity and small alterations in kinematic parameters were observed. Therefore, gait and movement alterations due to the moving fluoroscope cannot completely be excluded. However, based on the absence of differences in ground reaction force parameters (when adjusted for velocity within ANCOVA), as well as based on the comparable shape of the angular curves to the slow control condition, it can be concluded that changes in gait when walking with the moving fluoroscope are small, especially in comparison to natural slow walking. In order to allow assessment of joint replacement with the moving fluoroscope, including an understanding of the effects of joint pain, clinical analyses can only be compared to gait activities showing similarly reduced velocities. Importantly, the reduced gait speeds observed in this study are similar to those observed after total knee arthroplasty, suggesting that analyses in such subjects are appropriate. However, the moving fluoroscope would likely need to be optimized in order to detect natural gait characteristics at the higher gait velocities of healthy young subjects. The moving fluoroscope can be applied for comparisons between groups measured with the moving fluoroscope, but care should be taken when comparing data to subjects walking at self-selected speed without the moving fluoroscope., PLoS ONE, 13 (7), ISSN:1932-6203

Videofluoroscopy has been shown to provide essential information in the evaluation of the functionality of total knee arthroplasties. However, due to the limitation in the field of view, most systems can only assess knee kinematics during highly restricted movements. To avoid the limitations of a static image intensifier, a moving fluoroscope has been presented as a standalone system that allows tracking of the knee during multiple complete cycles of level- and downhill-walking, as well as stair descent, in combination with the synchronous assessment of ground reaction forces and whole body skin marker measurements. Here, we assess the ability of the system to keep the knee in the field of view of the image intensifier. By measuring ten total knee arthroplasty subjects, we demonstrate that it is possible to maintain the knee to within 1.8 ± 1.4 cm vertically and 4.0 ± 2.6 cm horizontally of the centre of the intensifier throughout full cycles of activities of daily living. Since control of the system is based on real-time feedback of a wire sensor, the system is not dependent on repeatable gait patterns, but is rather able to capture pathological motion patterns with low inter-trial repeatability., PLoS ONE, 12 (10), ISSN:1932-6203

Background The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is the strongest ligament of the knee, serving as one of the major passive stabilizers of the tibio-femoral joint. However, despite a number of experimental and modelling approaches to understand the kinematics and kinetics of the ligament, the normal loading conditions of the PCL and its functional bundles are still controversially discussed. Objectives This study aimed to generate science-based evidence for understanding the functional loading of the PCL, including the anterolateral and posteromedial bundles, in the healthy knee joint through systematic review and statistical analysis of the literature. Data sources MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Databases were searched for articles containing any numerical strain or force data on the healthy PCL and its functional bundles. Studied activities were as follows: passive flexion, flexion under 100N and 134N posterior tibial load, walking, stair ascent and descent, body-weight squatting and forward lunge. Method Statistical analysis was performed on the reported load data, which was weighted according to the number of knees tested to extract average strain and force trends of the PCL and identify deviations from the norms. Results From the 3577 articles retrieved by the initial electronic search, only 66 met all inclusion criteria. The results obtained by aggregating data reported in the eligible studies indicate that the loading patterns of the PCL vary with activity type, knee flexion angle, but importantly also the technique used for assessment. Moreover, different fibres of the PCL exhibit different strain patterns during knee flexion, with higher strain magnitudes reported in the anterolateral bundle. While during passive flexion the posteromedial bundle is either lax or very slightly elongated, it experiences higher strain levels during forward lunge and has a synergetic relationship with the anterolateral bundle. The strain patterns obtained for virtual fibres that connect the origin and insertion of the bundles in a straight line show similar trends to those of the real bundles but with different magnitudes. Conclusion This review represents what is now the best available understanding of the biomechanics of the PCL, and may help to improve programs for injury prevention, diagnosis methods as well as reconstruction and rehabilitation techniques.

Understanding the mechanical loading environment and resulting joint mechanics for activities of daily living in total knee arthroplasty is essential to continuous improvement in implant design. Although survivorship of these devices is good, a substantial number of patients report dissatisfaction with the outcome of their procedure. Knowledge of in vivo kinematics and joint loading will enable improvement in preclinical assessment and refinement of implant geometry. The purpose of this investigation was to describe the mechanics of total knee arthroplasty during a variety of activities of daily living (gait, walking down stairs, and chair rise/sit). Estimates of muscle forces, tibial contact load, location, and pressure distribution was performed through a combination of mobile fluoroscopy data collection, musculoskeletal modeling, and finite element simulation. For the activities evaluated, joint compressive load was greatest during walking down stairs; however, the highest contact pressure occurred during chair rise/sit. The joint contact moment in the frontal plane was mainly varus for gait and walking down stairs, while it was valgus during chair rise/sit. Excursion of the center of pressure on the tibial component was similar during each activity and between the medial and lateral sides. The main determinants of center of pressure location were internal-external rotation, joint load, and tibial insert conformity. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:1576-1587, 2016.

Designing orthopaedic implants to reconstruct native anatomy and function continues to be a major challenge in the development of new products. This thesis provides insights and suggestions for designing next generation knee arthroplasty with a focus on native joint kinematics. Like in many other specialties, biomimetics is the ultimate objective in joint reconstruction. Knee arthroplasty is the most successful treatment option for severe osteoarthritis, providing patients with a reliable solution to relief pain and regain mobility. However, native joint function is not fully restored and for an aging population with growing interest in demanding activities, several limitations are present. Particularly, existing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) delivers kinematic deficits, associated with abnormal feeling of the knee, following joint surgery. These limitations are related to sacrificed ligaments, and none-anatomic geometries of current implant designs. Mostly, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is sacrificed and its function is lost. Therefore, a biomimetic process was implemented to reverse engineer articular surfaces, by directly incorporating native knee kinematics. For the first aim, we designed a biomimetic implant that would preserve all major ligaments of the native knee joint. Therefore, an anatomically designed femoral component was virtually moved through native knee kinematics, to carve out a tibial articular surface, through the biomimetic process. This anatomical surface was incorporated into a novel implant, specifically designed to preserve the native ACL. For the second aim, we established a dynamic simulation platform to reliably evaluate implant design variations and the effect of ligaments. Knee kinematics, driven by ligament function and contacting implant geometry, allowed for comparison of different knee arthroplasty systems, against in vivo and simulated native knee motion. The first computational study revealed that a biomimetic, bi-cruciate retaining (BCR) implant provides activity dependent kinematics, similar to healthy knees in vivo, during deep knee bend, chair sit and level walking. This was in contrast to symmetric BCR systems, which nonetheless showed kinematic improvements over ACL-sacrificing implants. This indicates that restoring anatomic knee geometry together with ACL preservation is required for optimal implant function. The second computational study showed that a novel ACL-substituting mechanism could improve kinematic deficits of contemporary PCL-retaining (ACL-sacrificing) implants. ACL-substituting and ACL-retaining implants both provided similar improvements over the ACL-sacrificing implant in comparison to a native knee model. This was shown during walking, stair-ascent, chair-sit and deep knee bend simulations, indicating that ACL-substitution may be a valuable treatment option when ACL preservation is not feasible. For the third aim, we evaluated an extended treatment indication for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA), via in vivo kinematic analysis, using a moving fluoroscope. UKA is known for better functionality over TKA due to ACL retention and partial preservation of the native articulation. An ACL-deficient population, undergoing an altered surgical technique, with appropriate adaptation of implant placement, was compared against conventional UKA patients, with an intact ACL. The first in vivo study showed kinematic similarities between ACL-deficient and conventional UKA patients, in contrast to TKA. A posterior femoral shift was observed with ACL-deficient UKA, while kinematic trends and range of motion were similar during deep knee bend, downhill walking, level walking and stair descent. Based on kinematics, this confirms that the indication for UKA can be extended to include selected ACL-deficient patients. The second kinematic study revealed no differences in ground reaction forces between ACL-deficient and conventional UKA patients. Adequate kinematic and kinetic symmetries among implanted and contralateral leg indicate that UKA may not always be a contraindication due to ACL deficiency. In summary, this thesis outlines the importance of biomimetic implants for the objective of “forgotten knees”, following joint arthroplasty. Native knee function may be restored with anatomic geometries and ligament retention. Preservation or substitution of either the articular geometry or the ACL, results in kinematic improvements over conventional TKA. Long-term clinical outcome studies will be required for the ultimate proof of this concept.