Current musculoskeletal models (MSKM) that allow high knee and hip flexions, only estimate the joint reaction load in the tibiofemoral joint at a single point, not providing the loading at the medial and lateral knee compartments. This study aimed to adapt a generic MSKM that allows a large range of motion of the knee and hip joints to compute medial and lateral tibiofemoral contact forces (TFCF) during gait and squat tasks. The new model was customized by including medial and lateral compartments geometries that allow computing the vertical TFCF forces in both compartments, and further compared to the original MSKM. Both MSKM did not differ their kinematics and kinetics outputs in both of the tasks, and the sum of the vertical TFCF in the medial and lateral was equivalent to the net TFCF of the original MSKM. The modified MSKM brings an important contribution toward understanding the medial and lateral knee loading during movements involving a large range of motion of the lower-limb joints.

To cite this article: Bedo, BLS; Catelli, DS; Lamontagne, M; Santiago, PRP. (2020) A custom musculoskeletal model for estimation of medial and lateral tibiofemoral contact forces during tasks with high knee and hip flexions. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, in press.
doi: 10.1080/10255842.2020.1757662