Human Knee FEA Model for Transtibial Amputee Tibial Cartilage Pressure in Gait and Cycling

<p>Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating disease affecting roughly 31 million Americans. The incidence of OA is significantly higher for persons who have suffered a transtibial amputation. Abnormal cartilage stress can cause higher OA risk, however it is unknown if there is a connection between exercise type and cartilage stress. To help answer this, a tibiofemoral FEA model was created. Utilizing linear elastic isotropic materials and non-linear springs, the model was validated to experimental cadaveric data. In a previous study, 6 control and 6 amputee subjects underwent gait and cycling experiments. The resultant knee loads were analyzed to find the maximum compressive load and the respective shear forces and rotation moments for each trial, which were then applied to the model. Maximum tibial contact stress values were extracted for both the medial and lateral compartments. Only exercise choice in the lateral compartment was found to be a significant interaction (p<0.0001). No other interactions in either compartment were significant. This suggests that cycling reduces the risk for lateral OA regardless of amputation status and medial OA risk is unaffected. This study also developed a process for creating subject-specific FEA models.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

MS in Mechanical Engineering

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Year dc:date.available

2018

Author dc:creator

• Lane, Gregory

Contributors dc:contributor

• Scott Hazelwood

• osteoarthritis
• finite element analysis
• human knee
• transtibial amputee
• gait
• cycling
• Biomechanical Engineering

Identifier

10.15368/theses.2018.36

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.calpoly.edu:theses-3166