BIOMECHANICAL MODULATORS OF CARTILAGE AND BONE IN THE KNEE IN VIVO

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Articular cartilage is a specialized, stiff yet flexible tissue lining bones within joints, such as the knee. This tissue is responsible for evenly distributing the enormous mechanical loads along the knee joint surfaces during physical activities. Knee cartilage is expected to manage these mechanical loads over many years of life without suffering damage. However, mechanical loads can clearly cause the breakdown of cartilage, as well as the bony structure underneath, leading to arthritis. Little research has explored the complexities of these mechanics in degrading or protecting articular cartilage and the underlying bone in the human knee. The purpose of this research program is to study the responses of articular cartilage and the underlying bone to short-term and long-term mechanical loads within the human knee. Specifically, I will 1) Quantify and compare knee cartilage deformations after high impact loads (jumping), static loads (lunging) and repetitive loads (repeated single knee bends). Different sequences and exercise-to-rest ratios will characterize responses of articular cartilage to different combinations of these mechanical loads. 2) Define the impact of long-term exposure to mechanical loads on functional adaptations of articular cartilage and underlying bone. 3) Explore the ability of knee muscles to modify the responses of articular cartilage to mechanical loads. In the laboratory, sophisticated digital cameras, combined with state-of-the-art systems that measure forces and muscle activity, will analyze knee mechanics during different types of loads. Magnetic resonance imaging followed by dedicated image analyses will evaluate the responses of articular cartilage and the underlying bone to short-term and long-term mechanical loading. This work will be the first to demonstrate a dose-reponse relationship between mechanical loading and define the modulating role of muscle in protecting knee tissues. This work is fundamental to improving the detection, management and treatment of knee arthritis for Canadians.