The Influence of Frontal and Axial Plane Deformities on Contact Mechanics during Squatting: A Finite Element Study

Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA) is a degenerative joint disease and a leading cause of disability worldwide. Lower limb malalignment was a risky factor leading to KOA, altering the load distributions. This study aimed to study the influence of knee deformities on knee contact mechanics and knee kinematics during squatting. A full-leg squat FE model was developed based on general open-source models and validated with in vivo studies to investigate the outputs under frontal malalignment (valgus 8° to varus 8°) and axial malalignment (miserable malalignment 30°). As a result, Varus-aligned and miserable aligned models increased medial tibiofemoral force and lateral patellar contact pressures, while the valgus-aligned model increased lateral tibiofemoral force medial patellar contact pressures with no effects on total contact loads. The Model with a higher medial force ratio (medial force/total force) induced a higher internal tibial rotation. In conclusion, we recommended that patients with knee malalignment be taken care of alignments in both frontal and axial planes.

Name thesis:degree_name

M Eng Sci

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Western Ontario

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Xu, Yidan

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Willing, Ryan T.

• knee malalignment
• finite element
• knee joint
• contact mechanics
• knee kinematics
• knee osteoarthritis
• stress distribution
• squatting

Language dc:language.iso

en_ca

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/31902

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/31902