Knee joint forces: prediction, measurement, and significance

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Orthopedics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Knee forces significantly impact osteoarthritis progression and knee arthroplasty outcomes.
• Accurate estimation of knee joint forces is essential for clinical applications and research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize published studies measuring knee forces during various activities.
• To analyze methods for altering knee force distribution and identify knowledge gaps.

Main Methods:

• Review of published literature on in vivo knee force measurements.
• Analysis of computational methods including inverse dynamics, forward dynamics, and static body analyses.
• Evaluation of interventions like gait modification, orthotics, and walking aids.

Main Results:

• Various methods exist to estimate and measure knee forces, with in vivo measurements validating computational predictions.
• Interventions such as gait modification and assistive devices can alter knee force distribution.
• Significant variability exists in reported knee forces across different studies and activities.

Conclusions:

• Accurate knee force measurement is vital for understanding knee osteoarthritis and optimizing knee arthroplasty.
• Further research is needed to refine measurement techniques and evaluate the long-term efficacy of interventions.
• Identifying and addressing current knowledge gaps will advance the field of knee biomechanics.