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Artificial Joints
11 March 2014

Artificial Joints

Total knee replacement brings pain relief to millions of osteoarthritis sufferers each year. However, today’s patients expect more than just relief from pain – they also want to return to an active lifestyle. Modern knee replacements now need to replicate the behaviour and movements of the natural human knee during both work and play. To test the limits of prospective prostheses, engineers created this simulator which subjects new designs to the stresses and motions experienced in daily life. It acts as a model of the human knee, allowing investigation of forces and pressures within the joint, especially at the less-well understood articulation between the patella and femur [kneecap and thigh bone]. Thanks to the help of this simulator, knee replacements of the future could give patients greater mobility, less pain and a higher quality of life.

Written by Manisha Lalloo

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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