Static frontal plane tibiofemoral alignment is an important factor in dynamic knee alignment and knee adduction moments (KAMs). However, little is known about the relationship between alignment and compartment contact forces or muscle control strategies. The purpose of this study was to estimate medial (MCF) and lateral (LCF) compartment knee joint contact forces and muscle forces during stair ascent using a musculoskeletal model implementing subject-specific knee alignments. Kinematic and kinetic data from 20 healthy individuals with radiographically confirmed varus or valgus knee alignments were simulated using alignment specific models to predict MCFs and LCFs. Muscle forces were determined using static optimization. Independent samples t-tests compared contact and muscle forces between groups during weight acceptance and during pushoff. The varus group exhibited increased weight acceptance peak MCFs, while the valgus group exhibited increased pushoff peak LCFs. The varus group utilized increased vasti muscle forces during weight acceptance and adductor forces during pushoff. The valgus group utilized increased abductor forces during pushoff. The alignment-dependent contact forces provide evidence of the significance of frontal plane knee alignment in healthy individuals, which may be important in considering future knee joint health. The differing muscle control strategies between alignments detail-specific neuromuscular responses to control frontal plane knee loads.
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June 2018
Research-Article
Frontal Plane Tibiofemoral Alignment is Strongly Related to Compartmental Knee Joint Contact Forces and Muscle Control Strategies During Stair Ascent
Hunter J. Bennett,
Hunter J. Bennett
Department of Human Movement Sciences,
Old Dominion University,
2016 Student Recreation Center,
Norfolk, VA 23529
e-mail: hjbennet@odu.edu
Old Dominion University,
2016 Student Recreation Center,
Norfolk, VA 23529
e-mail: hjbennet@odu.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Joshua T. Weinhandl,
Joshua T. Weinhandl
Department of Kinesiology, Recreation,
and Sport Studies,
The University of Tennessee,
322 HPER Building 1914 Andy Holt Avenue,
Knoxville, TN 37996-2700
e-mail: jweinhan@utk.edu
and Sport Studies,
The University of Tennessee,
322 HPER Building 1914 Andy Holt Avenue,
Knoxville, TN 37996-2700
e-mail: jweinhan@utk.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Kristina Fleenor,
Kristina Fleenor
Department of Human Movement Sciences,
Old Dominion University,
2016 Student Recreation Center,
Norfolk, VA 23529
e-mail: Kflee006@odu.edu
Old Dominion University,
2016 Student Recreation Center,
Norfolk, VA 23529
e-mail: Kflee006@odu.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Songning Zhang
Songning Zhang
Department of Kinesiology, Recreation,
and Sport Studies,
The University of Tennessee,
322 HPER Building 1914 Andy Holt Avenue,
Knoxville, TN 37996-2700
e-mail: szhang@utk.edu
and Sport Studies,
The University of Tennessee,
322 HPER Building 1914 Andy Holt Avenue,
Knoxville, TN 37996-2700
e-mail: szhang@utk.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Hunter J. Bennett
Department of Human Movement Sciences,
Old Dominion University,
2016 Student Recreation Center,
Norfolk, VA 23529
e-mail: hjbennet@odu.edu
Old Dominion University,
2016 Student Recreation Center,
Norfolk, VA 23529
e-mail: hjbennet@odu.edu
Joshua T. Weinhandl
Department of Kinesiology, Recreation,
and Sport Studies,
The University of Tennessee,
322 HPER Building 1914 Andy Holt Avenue,
Knoxville, TN 37996-2700
e-mail: jweinhan@utk.edu
and Sport Studies,
The University of Tennessee,
322 HPER Building 1914 Andy Holt Avenue,
Knoxville, TN 37996-2700
e-mail: jweinhan@utk.edu
Kristina Fleenor
Department of Human Movement Sciences,
Old Dominion University,
2016 Student Recreation Center,
Norfolk, VA 23529
e-mail: Kflee006@odu.edu
Old Dominion University,
2016 Student Recreation Center,
Norfolk, VA 23529
e-mail: Kflee006@odu.edu
Songning Zhang
Department of Kinesiology, Recreation,
and Sport Studies,
The University of Tennessee,
322 HPER Building 1914 Andy Holt Avenue,
Knoxville, TN 37996-2700
e-mail: szhang@utk.edu
and Sport Studies,
The University of Tennessee,
322 HPER Building 1914 Andy Holt Avenue,
Knoxville, TN 37996-2700
e-mail: szhang@utk.edu
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received October 18, 2017; final manuscript received February 19, 2018; published online April 4, 2018. Assoc. Editor: Tammy L. Haut Donahue.
J Biomech Eng. Jun 2018, 140(6): 061011 (8 pages)
Published Online: April 4, 2018
Article history
Received:
October 18, 2017
Revised:
February 19, 2018
Citation
Bennett, H. J., Weinhandl, J. T., Fleenor, K., and Zhang, S. (April 4, 2018). "Frontal Plane Tibiofemoral Alignment is Strongly Related to Compartmental Knee Joint Contact Forces and Muscle Control Strategies During Stair Ascent." ASME. J Biomech Eng. June 2018; 140(6): 061011. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4039578
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