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Knee Joint

Knee Joint

The knee joint is the most complicated joint in the body. It consists of three articulations– two tibiofemoral and one patellofemoral. As is characteristic of synovial joints, the knee joint has a thin articular capsule that partially surrounds this joint cavity. Additionally, several ligaments, muscles, and cartilaginous structures support the movement of the knee.
A total of seven ligaments support the knee joint. The patellar ligament, which is also attached to the quadriceps femoris...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 8, 2025

Oscillation and Reaction Board Techniques for Estimating Inertial Properties of a Below-knee Prosthesis

Oscillation and Reaction Board Techniques for Estimating Inertial Properties of a Below-knee Prosthesis

Published on: May 8, 2014

Evaluating Knee Mechanisms for Assistive Devices.

Shawanee' Patrick¹, Namita Anil Kumar¹, Pilwon Hur^1,2

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States.

Frontiers in Neurorobotics

|June 16, 2022

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Comparing knee brace mechanisms, a self-aligning polycentric mechanism (PSC) showed less migration and lower interaction forces than single-axis (SA) and predefined polycentric (PPC) braces. This suggests PSC may improve user comfort and adherence.

Keywords:

assistive devices gait interaction forces knee mechanism migration orthoses polycentric rehabilitation

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Lower Limb Biomechanical Analysis of Healthy Participants

Lower Limb Biomechanical Analysis of Healthy Participants

Published on: April 15, 2020

Area of Science:

Biomechanics and Assistive Device Technology
Orthotics and Rehabilitation Engineering

Background:

Human knee joints have complex, non-singular rotation axes, unlike current knee braces.
Existing knee brace mechanisms (single axis, predefined polycentric) can cause misalignment, leading to discomfort, migration, and device abandonment.

Purpose of the Study:

To compare the effects of three knee brace joint mechanisms—single axis (SA), polycentric with predefined centrode (PPC), and polycentric with self-aligning center of rotation (PSC)—on device migration and interaction forces.
To evaluate the impact of knee joint mechanisms as the sole variable on brace performance.

Main Methods:

Designed and conducted an experiment comparing SA, PPC, and PSC knee brace mechanisms.
Kept brace material, weight, size, cuff design, fitment, and tightness consistent across all trials.
Measured device migration and interaction forces on brace straps during use.

Main Results:

No significant differences in walking kinematics or kinetics were observed across the three mechanisms.
The PPC brace exhibited greater interaction forces on the top strap compared to SA and PSC braces.
The PSC and SA braces showed lower interaction forces on the bottom strap than the PPC brace.
The PSC brace demonstrated significantly less migration than both SA and PPC braces.

Conclusions:

Predefined polycentric knee brace mechanisms may not be universally beneficial for users.
Polycentric self-aligning mechanisms show potential for improving knee brace alignment and reducing device migration.
The PSC mechanism may enhance user comfort and adherence by minimizing brace movement and pressure points.