Mechanics of Knee Joints - The Role of Fluid Pressure and Flow in Load Sharing and Cartilage Metabolism

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Articular cartilage and meniscus are essential for the normal mechanical function of the knee joint. These soft tissues are comprised of 65-80% fluid. Fluid flow is induced in these tissues by knee compressions during daily activities. Cartilage metabolism is also regulated by the synovial fluid, which brings nutrients to cartilage cells. Furthermore, fluid pressure can support over 50% of the knee load. Therefore, it is necessary to fully discover the mechanical and biological functions of fluid pressure and flow in cartilage and meniscus in order to understand normal knee mechanical functions. Currently, this information is very limited due to difficulties in both fluid pressure measurements inside the knee and fluid pressure predictions with an anatomically accurate model of the knee joint.