the mechanics of healing

This chapter discusses research and engineering programs undertaken to study knees and machines to help ligament-graft patients get on their feet. At the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, researchers are investigating the biological mechanisms of how tendon heals to bone to ultimately influence rehabilitative protocols for the anterior fibula. The lab has been focusing on how mechanical loads placed on tendons affect the healing process by initiating biological signals. The current model involves studying rodents that have undergone anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction to examine the effect of mechanical loading on tendon biology. The team will develop empirical evidence that is expected to lead to future protocols for therapy—in short, to have people heal and return to their normal lives.. One therapy that has demonstrated some success in patients recovering from ACL surgery has been continuous passive motion (CPM). The clinical CPM design has been rendered in Solidworks. The lab built a device and is now testing it on cadaver rats before moving on to live subjects.