The effects of thigh soft-tissue stiffness on the control of anterior tibial displacement by functional knee orthoses

• Published in: Journal of rehabilitation research and development Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 135 - 140
• Main Authors: LIU, S. H, DALUISKI, A, KABO, J. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Baltimore, MD Rehabilitation Research and Development Service 01.05.1995; Superintendent of Documents
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; Biological and medical sciences; Biomechanical Phenomena; Braces; Diseases of the osteoarticular system. Orthopedic treatment; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Female; Humans; Knee; Knee Injuries - physiopathology; Male; Medical sciences; Movement; Orthopedic apparatus; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Thigh - physiology; Tibia - physiology; Knee; Human; Orthopedic treatment; Thigh; Orthosis; Elasticity; Mechanical properties; Biomechanics; Dynamic stability; Models; Soft tissue; Stiffness; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0748-7711

Using three soft-tissue analogs of variable compliances, four custom functional knee orthoses were evaluated for their abilities to control anterior tibial displacement (ATD) using an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient surrogate knee model with applied forces from 25 to 250 N. These analogs had stiffnesses (compliance) ranging from 2.18 N/mm to 4.6 N/mm, simulating the range in the thigh soft-tissue compliances found in subjects ranging from sedentary individuals to competitive athletes. Significant differences in the ATDs allowed were observed between the soft-tissue analogs, orthoses, and the force applied. At low forces, soft-tissue compliance did not play an important role in the reduction of ATD; however, at high forces ATD was directly related to the soft-tissue compliance.