The study compared thigh-shank and shank-foot coordination during gait before and after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with controls (CTRL). Twenty-seven patients (male=15/female=12; age=63.2±6.9 years) were evaluated one month prior to and twelve months after surgery, and compared to 27 controls (male=14/female=13; age=62.2±4.3). The participants were outfitted with a full-body marker set. Gait speed (normalized by leg length) was calculated. The time series of the thigh, shank, and foot orientation in relation to the laboratory coordinate system were extracted. The coordination between the thigh-shank and shank-foot in the sagittal plane were calculated using a vector coding technique. The coupling angles were categorized into four coordination patterns. The stance phase was divided into thirds: early, mid, and late stance. The frequency of each pattern and gait speed were compared using a one-way ANOVA with a post-hoc Bonferroni correction. Walking speed and shank-foot coordination showed no differences between the groups. The thigh-shank showed differences. The pre-TKA group showed a more in-phase pattern compared to the CTRL group during early-stance. During mid-stance, the pre- and post-TKA presented a more in-phase pattern compared to the CTRL group. Regarding shank-foot coordination, the groups presented an in-phase and shank pattern, with more shank phase during mid-stance and more in-phase during late-stance. The pre-TKA group showed greater differences than the post-TKA compared to the controls. The more in-phase pattern in the pre- and post-TKA groups could relate to a reduced capacity for the thigh that leads the movement. During mid-stance in normal gait, the knee is extending, where the thigh and shank movements are in opposite directions. The in-phase results in the TKA groups indicate knee stiffness during the stance phase, which may relate to a muscular deficit or a gait strategy to reduce
Abstract. Objectives. Currently, total hip replacement surgery is an effective treatment for osteoarthritis, where the damaged hip joint is replaced with an artificial
Meniscal injuries are often associated with an active lifestyle. The damage of meniscal tissue puts young patients at higher risk of undergoing meniscal surgery and, therefore, at higher risk of osteoarthritis. In this study, we undertook proof-of-concept research to develop a cellularized human meniscus by using 3D bioprinting technology. A 3D model of bioengineered medial meniscus tissue was created, based on MRI scans of a human volunteer. The Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) data from these MRI scans were processed using dedicated software, in order to obtain an STL model of the structure. The chosen 3D Discovery printing tool was a microvalve-based inkjet printhead. Primary mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were isolated from bone marrow and embedded in a collagen-based bio-ink before printing. LIVE/DEAD assay was performed on realized cell-laden constructs carrying MSCs in order to evaluate cell distribution and viability.Objectives
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