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Biomechanics of Knee Replacement

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Biomechanics in Orthopedics

Abstract

The development of knee replacement over the past 30 years has been quite different to that of hip replacement. All hip prostheses use the ball and socket geometry of the natural joint and development has concentrated on the design of stems and on methods of fixation of components to the bone. In contrast, the optimum design of the articular surfaces of knee prostheses is still controversial and many fundamentally different designs are used in current practice. In this chapter, we review the range of designs of knee prostheses and classify them according to the extent that they use and rely on retained ligaments. The review is introduced by a description of the functions of the ligaments of the knee. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the design of surface-replacement knee prostheses which allow the retention of all the ligaments, and the need for meniscal bearings in such designs is explained.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering Science, Parks Road, Oxford, OX3 3PJ, UK

    John J. O’Connor

  2. Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LD, UK

    John W. Goodfellow

Authors
  1. John J. O’Connor
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  2. John W. Goodfellow
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Aichi Medical University, 21 Yazako Karimata, 480-11, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan

    Shigeo Niwa M.D.  & Tomokazu Hattori BSC.  & 

  2. AO/ASIF Research Institute, Clavadelerstrasse, CH-7270, Davos Platz, Switzerland

    Stephan M. Perren DR. MED., DR. SC.(H.C.)

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© 1992 Springer-Verlag Tokyo

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O’Connor, J.J., Goodfellow, J.W. (1992). Biomechanics of Knee Replacement. In: Niwa, S., Perren, S.M., Hattori, T. (eds) Biomechanics in Orthopedics. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68216-5_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68216-5_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-68218-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-68216-5

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