Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Influence of soft structures on patellar three-dimensional tracking

J Heegaard¹, P F Leyvraz, A Van Kampen

¹Institute of Orthopaedics, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

|February 1, 1994

Summary

Soft tissues stabilize the patella (kneecap) near full extension, while the femoral groove guides its motion during deeper knee flexion. This study clarifies patellar kinematics and stabilization mechanisms.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

No Difference Between Open and Arthroscopic ATFL Repair, Both Yielding Clinically Significant Improvement in Chronic Ankle Instability: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine·2026

Same author

Automation in tibial implant loosening detection using deep-learning segmentation.

International journal of computer assisted radiology and surgery·2025

Same author

Load-induced deformation of the tibia and its effect on implant loosening detection.

Scientific reports·2023

Same author

Does Consulting an Occupational Medicine Specialist Decrease Time to Return to Work Among Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients? A 12-Month Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study.

Journal of occupational rehabilitation·2022

Same author

Locking plate constructs in subtrochanteric fixation: a biomechanical comparison of LCP screws and AO-nuts.

Journal of clinical orthopaedics and trauma·2021

Same author

Anatomic stabilization techniques provide superior results in terms of functional outcome in patients suffering from chronic ankle instability compared to non-anatomic techniques.

Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA·2017

Area of Science:

Orthopedics
Biomechanics
Human Anatomy

Background:

Patellar motion is crucial for knee function.
Patellar kinematics result from articular contact and soft-tissue interactions.
Understanding soft-tissue roles is key to patellar stability.

Purpose of the Study:

To characterize the role of soft tissues in human patellar kinematics during knee flexion.
To differentiate the contributions of articular geometry and soft-tissue structures to patellar tracking.

Main Methods:

Three-dimensional patellar motion was precisely measured in a human knee model.
Measurements were taken before and after partial dissection of joint soft tissues.
Analysis focused on patellar kinematics across the full range of knee flexion.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

The femoral groove primarily guided patellar motion throughout most of the flexion range.
Soft tissues, specifically the retinacula, significantly influenced patellar stability near full extension.
Patellar instability was observed near full extension when articular contact was minimal.

Conclusions:

Patellar motion control is a combination of patellofemoral joint geometry and soft-tissue action.
Transverse soft-tissue structures are critical for stabilizing the patella near knee extension.
The patellofemoral joint geometry becomes the dominant factor in patellar tracking during deeper flexion.