A finite element 3D model of in vivo human knee joint based on MRI for the tibiofemoral joint contact analysis

Abstract

The contact behaviors of in vivo knee during weight bearing were quantified using MRI-based 3D knee model. The model included the cortical and trabecular bone of the femur and tibia, cartilage of the femoral condyles and tibial plateau, both the medial and lateral menisci with their horn attachments. Explicit dynamic nonlinear finite element techniques were discussed to simulate biomechanical features of tibio-femeral joint under different loads condition, considering the relative slide and friction existing in the knee. The simulating results show that the contact area increased while the loads increased. Both the ratio of the contact area and the ratio of contact force of medial and laterial tibial plateau were almost constant under the different loads along the axis of the tibia during the supporting phase in a gait, and yet the contact points of the compressive force were changed. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.