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www.kuleuven.be/FIBEr Scheys et al., 2016 KNEE JOINT SIMULATOR Additional information Manufacturer: Smith&Nephew/KU Leuven Year of acquisition: 2015 Funding: Equipment Donation grant by Smith&Nephew Application example The knee joint simulation is used to measure the kinematics of squatting pre- and post-unicondylar knee arthroplasty. The knee joint simulator allows to measure the mechanical behaviour of the knee during several motor tasks before and after a surgical procedure. Effects of different parameters (implant design, alignment, joint balancing, surgical mistakes) can thus be isolated and assessed within the same specimen. The system applies forces to the tendons and the knee is guided solely by the anatomy of the specimen’s joint, more accurately replicating loaded, in vivo conditions, compared to commercially available robotic systems. Specifications The knee joint simulator allows to simulate: ₋ Passive flexion and extension movements ₋ Varus/valgus stress test ₋ Open chain extension ₋ Squatting Real-time measured data: ₋ Tibio-femoral and patello-femoral joint kinematics ₋ Joint kinetics in terms of intra-articular pressure and simulated ground reaction forces ₋ Muscle forces ₋ Soft tissue and/or bone strains Extra features Extensometer application to measure the strain of ligaments or tendons Intra-articular Pressure mapping Strain gauge application to measure the strain of the bone 3D Motion Capture System Native UKA Pre-op Squatting Biomechanics Post-op Squatting Biomechanics
