A flexion loading system for knee biomechanics research / 生物医学工程学杂志

ABSTRACT

It is important to design and build a kinetic loading system for flexing movement of knee joint to study knee biomechanics. The system reported here includes driving device, control device, and flexion angle determination imaging system. The driving device was constructed with a stepper motor and a mechanical transmission with a serried of clamps, shanks and so on, and the driving device was controlled by the control device with micro-control unit, a computer and the serial 232. While the knee joint was driven to move by the stepper motor, the flexion angle of the knee was determined using imaging-based techniques. The system achieved accurate loading and control of speed, extent and duration of knee flexion, as well as fast and non-contract determination of flexion angle during knee flexing movement. The system is simple to build, easy to operate, highly accurate and reliable and it provides an important tool for the study of knee biomechanics, and potentially provides a tool for helping patients of knee surgery during their post operation recovery training.