Effect of Stride Length on Knee Contact

• Published in: Shanghai jiao tong da xue xue bao Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 759 - 767
• Main Authors: Chen, Huiran, Fu, Rongchang, Yang, Xiaozheng, Li, Pengju, Wang, Kun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shanghai Shanghai Jiaotong University Press 01.08.2025; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Architecture; Boundary conditions; Cartilage; Computer Science; Contact stresses; Electrical Engineering; Engineering; Femur; Finite element method; Joints (anatomy); Kinematics; Knee; Life Sciences; Materials Science; Mechanical properties; Menisci; Meniscus; Motion capture; Walking; Working conditions; 动作捕捉; A; finite element method; 膝关节接触; 下肢运动学; R318.01; knee contact; lower extremity kinematics; motion capture; 有限元法
• ISSN: 1007-1172; 1674-8115; 1995-8188
• DOI: 10.1007/s12204-024-2577-7

The knee joint is structurally complex and there are numerous factors that influence knee dynamics. Therefore, it is valuable to study the effect of stride length on knee contact during walking. Moreover, it is crucial to study the mechanical properties of the knee joint for the protection of the knee joint and the mechanism of knee diseases. In this study, a healthy volunteer was invited to investigate the kinematics of the lower limb under different stride lengths by conducting motion capture experiments. Then, a complete and detailed finite element model of the knee was established, and the effect of stride length on the knee contact was studied using the finite element method, where the boundary conditions and loads were set up in accordance with the actual working conditions based on the data obtained from the motion capture experiments. When the stride length was increased by 23.08% compared with the habitual stride length, the knee flexion angle at the beginning moment of the single-legged support phase could be increased by 108.12%, the maximum von Mises stress values on the femur cartilage and meniscus were increased from 5.888 to 16.023 MPa and from 5.599 to 17.387 MPa, respectively, and the high-stress zone on the contact surface was also significantly shifted. When the stride length was reduced by 12.31% compared to the habitual stride length, the knee flexion angle at the moment of the end of the single-legged support phase was reduced by 62.22%, and the maximum von Mises stress values on the femur cartilage and meniscus were reduced from 5.362 MPa to 2.074 MPa and from 5.255 MPa to 1.986 MPa, respectively. The results of this paper indicate that when exercising and preventing or treating stride knee diseases by walking, people should choose a suitable stride for exercise according to the health condition of the knee and avoid over-pursuing a large stride to improve the exercise effect, while a smaller stride is suitable for most people.